Big Cypress National Preserve

Who couldn't use an extra $15,000? You could pocket that much, or come away with a new laptop, if you design a winning logo for the Everglades Foundation.

A conservation group in Florida wants National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis to reject the preferred off-road vehicle plan for the Addition lands in Big Cypress National Preserve. In a lengthy letter the South Florida Wilderness Association urges the director to "take a step that will truly fulfill the lofty language of the Organic Act of 1916" by setting aside more of the landscape for wilderness designation.

Far and away more endangered Florida panthers die in traffic collisions than from any other fate, according to data tracked by wildlife officials in Florida. With hopes of reducing those collisions, the state plans to install a monitoring system to alert motorists to cats approaching them.

Birds and human "snowbirds" aren't the only critters that enjoy spending the winter in Florida, and "The Wings of Butterfly Exhibit" at Big Cypress National Preserve offers beautiful photos and useful information about these lovely residents. The exhibit runs through February, and special programs and hikes featuring butterflies will also be offered in the park on December 11.