South Florida Information Access (SOFIA) Website

The number of visitors to the site has increased from just under 80 per day in 1998 to over 1400 visitors/day in early 2003. The SOFIA site has grown tremendously since its inception and currently contains over 5500 documents. The objective of the SOFIA website is to continue to provide a usable and Section-508-compliant website that provides direct access to all South Florida Place-Based Studies information.

Every effort is made to ensure that the SOFIA site is usable and accessible, though usability testing, link verification, and checking for Section 508 compliance. The South Florida restoration effort requires multidisciplinary information relating to present and historical conditions for use in responsible decision-making. The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a research program in support of the restoration of the Everglades and South Florida ecosystem in 1995.

USGS personnel have been conducting research projects designed to provide sound scientific information on which resource managers can base their decisions. The USGS also has recognized the need for a central site to provide all interested parties with information from this research and access to these data. The objectives of the SOFIA website are to continue to provide a usable and Section-508-compliant website that provides direct access to all south Florida Priority Ecosystems Science information.

The initial version of the site was specifically tailored for scientists, managers and decision-makers. More recent and expanded versions of the site have added educational materials and general outreach items designed for the general public.