Iconic airboats being phased out in the Everglades

Florida airboaters are on the losing end of a fight with the National Park Service to continue enjoying their hobby in the Everglades. David Begnaud has more on why the airboaters want to stay and why conservationists want them gone.

[@sheaoakley7126]

It it weren't for one air-boater, Bob Marquis, being in the 'Glades on the night of December 29th, 1972, a lot more people would have died in the crash of Eastern flight 401, the worlds first involving a jumbo jet. Marquis, frogging nearby, was first on the scene and saved multiple survivors by pulling them out of the shallow water in which many were drowning, or in danger of drowning, because of their injuries. Marquis also played a key role in enabling rescue helicopters to find the crash site in the darkness.

[@jackland454]

Spending time on an airboat in the glades is part of being a south Floridian. These people care more about the park than any government agency ever will..so sad.

[@Mike-01234]

Problem is as more people show up get more boats more damage. It's just like the deserts where I live 20 years ago it was a few dirt bikes, and jeeps now it's full of UTV's racing around tearing everything up. Mostly they tear up the land, and the worst of them actually vandalize our historic ghost towns with spray paint, and shooting them up. I think the National Park Service could come up with a way to limit the boats, and have a permitting system.

[@larzhillbot1443]

i agree same every where just to many people now days all after the same resource

[@WaterandWoodsmen]

Not many younger people are into airboats

[@glennoropeza3545]

I'm a born and raised South Floridian and love showing friends from other states and other countries our Swampland and Gator refuge and no better way than by airboats! Let's not forget airboats were the only way to get to the Value jet plane crash! Airboats themselves have quieter slower turning higher efficiency props and mufflered motors! liquid cooled engines have self contained radiators so they don't pollute! Airboats are manatee and gator friendly!

[@carter_1]

The government will be allowed to keep a few, just NOT YOU

[@andybrown6981]

but all the tourists go there and company operators and no rules

[@ricklong3260]

So do it outside the national park ....those pathways you rip in the grass is bad news. Thank you

[@wayneyd2]

Yep! Big brother from the government is here to help.

[@wayneyd2]

Remember these are the guys who came to the rescue during aftermath of the hurricane. Not the government.

[@saltyjo7514]

I don’t live in the United States. Never been to the everglades. Airboats are cool as f***. Please keep them. They float on the surface, hardly causing any damage.

[@Joesolo13]

It's the noise as much as anything

[@jeremymayer4223]

Government just looks for things people love and stops them.

[@Zombie-lp8bx]

No fun for you peasant’s

[@craigherbert6640]

I do a lot of boating and kayaking all over Florida personally I think airboats are obnoxiously loud other than that I don't see what harm they're doing I believe the air boaters have as much of a right to enjoy the rivers lakes salt marshes and Everglades of Florida as anyone else

[@leosypher9993]

that is a good point and I appreciate your perspective, with new propeller technology the constant droning sound of airboats could be reduced in the future, we'll have to see if it would be enough

[@godofthisshit]

@Craig Herbert They spoke about the harm being done in this video.

[@stephaniealtman4021]

keep air boating alive

[@austinhowze6280]

I just want to say mud boats cut trails not air boats grass don't stop water but a mud boat will dig and push a trail creating a ditch that drains the water

[@travisjones3961]

The Army Corps of Engineers is your enemy, not airboats. More government agencies failing to put the blame where it belongs.

[@FordF-Super]

Travis Jones yep, your the only one who hit the nail on the head, look at what BIG SUGAR and Army Corps of Idiots have done to lake Okeechobee

[@muskietime]

alternate account Your comment makes no senses! If you really believe this, SEEK MENTAL HEALTH! Please. Oh, and avoid spreading your paranoia.

[@mikewalrus4763]

They can't ban airboats - they are an international type of boat known throughout the world as an unique boat used in the Florida Everglades - and I'm not even America, but I think banning these boats is another nail in the coffin of individuality and what makes different countries unique in what and who they are!

[@harryhall6336]

they are not banning the boat , only were they operate

[@dirtbikerydaa8300]

It's insane that they're only keeping airboats there too because they bring the national park money more than a hundred thousand people go there each year. People spend thousands of dollars on camps out there and I can't just take it away from them people love airboating it's a way of life I can't believe they taken away from us when I grow up I'm only 10 years old and I want to be riding airboats just like everybody else in my family.

[@jonhohensee3258]

Learn how to write.

[@lovetofly32]

So what did they end up doing?! This was five years ago. Anyone know?

[@talinite5916]

Nothing to my knowledge, I took a tour last summer

[@KandiKlover]

Nothing. Republicans stripped the EPA and various others of environment powers and nothing is being enforced.

[@leosypher9993]

More restrictions is the last thing we need, this is a free nation and we should stride to keep that our goal, but im sure theres a good compromise (that is, something that does truly make everyone happy, rather than one side or no one) couldnt designated trails be formed? and perhaps make one main trail lead to open water where the airboats can roam free?

[@jclar3565]

Because of where I live on Atlantic I have to navigate dangerous water on the open ocean and I'm wondering why shut down this place that has very safe navigable Waters?

[@nathanduckeorth806]

Dam tree huggers!!!

[@utube101x]

Rather extreme solution to tell these families that they have to stop all together. The problem is not the air boats, but rather the few operators who don't understand and respect the ecosystem. It's more exciting to glide over patches of vegetation than it is to stay in the open water. Each pass over the plants causes a bit of damage to the leaves, enough and they die back leaving more open water. What the NPS needs to do is to force modernization of the industry. Get hands on with the younger generations and teach them how valuable the predefined waterways and bird nesting areas are. Designate where the boats can and cannot operate. Put up 'traffic cams' if need be. Put some noise pollution restrictions out there too.

[@johnhempstead3074]

more gov. bs

[@karinabalman5755]

It's not right to take airboats away from a way of life

[@SpaceSnaxxx]

Dumb

[@JoshP81]

Sure. It isn't the rampant development that is hurting the Everglades and the way water flows in the state, it is the airboats.

[@TSemasFl]

The NPS can't just keep accumulating land and kicking people out. They need to create a preserve or a cooperative use area so they can still use the area for recreation. Besides, the US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS ( US Government) has done far more damage to the Everglades and The Everglades National Park, than any airboater ever has. I'm a South Floridian, so i know the extent of the government damage. But it's ok for them to destroy Florida.

[@Glidescube]

Cant they designate water "highways" in the swamp and keep the boats in those zine while the rest of the swamp heals?

[@erickimmel6937]

The ev erglades never stops healing itself. evemn the periphyton matt continues to grow after its disturbed by bbuggies or walking or airboats

[@upsideadown]

Not because of a fanboat. How about an African python. How about that?

[@GabrielGonzalez-jd7fd]

Airboats aren't hurting a damn thing out there

[@Mrfreshpoptarts]

How is the air boat hurting anything?

[@davidmoon529]

I hope the airboat people win their struggle , but if they don't nobody including police , DEA,,park rangers , game wardens ,none should be able to use airboats . If American citizens cant use airboats neither should ANY government agency

[@777dragonborn]

Wtf . Airboats are the official vehicle of Florida

[@johngustafson9566]

"Real men use their poles" -Osceola

[@quagmiredavis4117]

One male karen causing problems ...

[@lilsoup8239]

"Nature getting damage by airboats." Uh yeah you ever heard of oil drilling, or shale mining, the shellfish industry, or electric plants? Yeah uh those things are a little more destructive than a box fan on a raft.

[@philmaxwell1]

All those more destructive things you mentioned are also banned inside Everglades National Park

[@normanhebert2388]

I am air boater from louisana the 1 mud moter tears up more than 10 air boats

[@normanhebert2388]

You are getting as bad as let's open every thing g up to kayakers

[@paulrudolph6119]

Update? Was it banned?

[@couchfighter]

tHAT DUDE THAT WANTS IT STOPPED IS A LIL BABY

[@bidenhasdementia8657]

49K views after two years LOL

[@jacobguitreau6454]

They are trying to stop us here in Louisiana to stop running ours boats but I think if they stop the airboats they should stop the Other ones

[@patriciaschuster1371]

As bad as snowmobiles running all over the winter lands, running down native animals till they die from exhaustion. Just because they can do something, doesn't mean they should.

[@carter_1]

The government will be allowed to keep a few, just NOT YOU!

[@jam4350]

Let the locals decide. They value the land more than some bureaucrat in DC. Our government should prioritize human choice over subtle changes to environments anyway. Environmentalism can be a cult sometimes that looks at human caused change as evil and dirty. And its unlikely there's any significant damage occurring from airboats... environmental advocates tend be ideologically driven instead of data driven.

[@Joe-dz7kj]

We mustn’t scare the birds. Said with a lisp of corth 🤓

[@Shinuchiha_99]

Lmao

[@chriscarnall5956]

Changing the water flow with airboat paths what a joke.who changed the Everglades. The ones who built the levees forever changed the river of grass. Airboat did nothing to change it. People lived,hunted and explored the the Everglades for centuries before the park service came along. Protecting the Everglades that a joke , they have turned it in to a money maker

[@normanhebert2388]

Gator tail prow drive mud buddy all dig out the geass

[@debbiemathews8302]

CONGRESS OUGHT TO GET LOST. LEAVE the Gators, and the airboats alone. THERE'S a lot of people like me . THAT like to go out on an airboaTt. IT'S up to us , IF we want to pay 20 or $25 to go out in the EVERGLADES. and SEE THE GATORS 🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊 IT'S none of your damn business. WE are AMERICANS we should do what we want to do.

[@cobyporschifer221]

WHO DO THE GOVERNMENT CALL IN A EMERGENCY DUE TO FLOODING =AIRBOATERS BEGGING AND PLEADING FOR HELP BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE MACHINERY. BY The way there's less than 100 AIR BOATERS.

[@ribbonoftime6008]

If they want to be ' Grandfathered in ' then maybe this would be a good time to encourage their grandchildren to become engineers , so they can invent a faster , clean , environmentally friendly and quiet new version of the of the boats that made the tradition possible . You were able to find an awesome use for these craft , so now use that same creativeness to make them even better . So, next time if you run into a gator and find yourself with no gun or boat ; maybe , just maybe you won't be dinner for the gator . And I'm sure plenty of cash could be made as well . Since cash being the only motivation for most people these days . Put your brains where your mouths are for once . 🍽️🐊🐾🐾 No disrespect , just and idea .

[@dirtbikerydaa8300]

That's messed up everybody is not just a fun sport it's a way of life love airboating

[@SpaceSnaxxx]

Dumb

[@Khamomil]

I'm not an American but it seems to me that only the sporting aspect is disturbing. You can see and hear boaters pushing their boat to the limit and an escalation in engine power. Obviously they don't give a hoot about the wildlife that live there. If they need the boat for fishing, fine, but taking tourists and racing is what should be banned.

[@Milk-xp1jz]

I’d crap myself

[@learemington1700]

Too loud, too noisy , disrupt the wildlife, disturb the peace I came to the Everglades to enjoy. Ban the damn things.

[@EvergladesInsider]

we'd rather ban you than our way of life.

[@jmoonshine4223]

why don't you buld something in a place where they won't fuck up natural.... ya know.. where we already have.

[@amandabartlett7760]

That's just not right. First Monroe Station now this? We aren't the ones who flooded the glades and now you're kicking us if or land?

[@jonhohensee3258]

if our land???

[@jimships]

what happened at Monroe Station Amanda?

[@calitalia2000]

This is terrible. Government overreach at its finest.

[@Skoda130]

"I'm fighting for the right to destroy the environment for future generations!"

[@normanhebert2388]

Mud moters destroyed every where thay pass air boats lay the grass down but it will come back up mud moters dige trenches where ever thay pass

[@procekim]

is there anyone who would take us out for a trip? Send me a message.

[@Zepplin76]

procekim we have 3 companies out there giving them and lots of us locals have one (I don't)

[@swamphawg1]

Listen to the tone in mr conservationist's voice. Well I assume MR, he's probably one of those "pick your pronoun " people

[@marythompson6842]

if airboats get band I want gay marige is pull off and Hillery Clinton in jail and what happens if a plane gos down and who are they going to call

[@dannyoverton8712]

Let them call CNN

[@KingmanRoss]

@@dannyoverton8712 lol

[@banacek8675]

Democrats want to regulate how many pieces of toilet paper we use to wipe our butts

[@sirwillsirwill]

ohhh nooo , the birds got scared out of their nests !!! the land is for the responsible use of the people, it does not belong to the government.

[@raylynx9708]

Good riddance. The Everglades are already under tremendous pressure from sea-level rise -- getting rid of loud life-disrupting human activities help preserves them that much longer.

[@daryltollison8907]

I'm glad. If you just keep adding more and more boats then eventually, everything gets messed up. Animals have rights too.

[@Zepplin76]

Daryl Tollison you missed the part of how only the 110 acre parcel is used for tours for tourists. The rest is already not allowed

[@dannyoverton8712]

Daryl it is painfully clear you have never ever been there seen that please shut up

[@johnnymissfire8464]

absolutely bullshit !

[@mykamorgan2344]

That's bull leaven enuff we ain't gotta c all to appreciate it they will b necessary wen 40 and 50 ft pythons are snatching our kid or me off the bank actually giv them cash to take care of our wonderful glades

[@tps1020]

Who gives a crap how long you've been doing, it is destroying the Everglades

[@mementomori9189]

How, exactly?

[@Sniffyboy]

Get ‘‘em out of there!

[@BDCALLAIS]

They need to outlaw them in the Mississippi River Delta also!