Renowned throughout the world, the vast "river of grass" known as the Everglades covers the southern end of the Florida peninsula. One of only a few American parks that enjoy status as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Everglades National Park is a subtropical wetland of diverse ecosystems harboring hundreds of species of birds, mammals and reptiles. The fragile ecosystem of the Everglades was seriously compromised in the early 20C when water was diverted from the Glades to irrigate farmland and provide suburban drinking water. Preserving the Everglades' ecosystem and managing its water flow continues to be a critical issue.