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Federal wildlife officials are removing protections for a Florida bird no longer considered threatened while agreeing to protect 11 other local plants and animals.

Why it matters: The delisting of the wood stork — decades after it was deemed endangered in 1984 — is being hailed by the Trump administration as a conservation success story.

By the numbers: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the wood stork was near extinction in 1984, as its population had declined by more than 75% since the 1930s.

That was largely due to habitat loss, especially in South Florida, the agency says.

In 2014, it was reclassified from endangered to threatened.

Today, the bird's breeding population is estimated at between 10,000 and 14,000 nesting pairs — more than twice the number compared to when the species was listed.

Their breeding habitat stretches across Florida and other southern states.

The other side: The Center for Biological Diversity argues the bird has not met recovery goals in South Florida and that Trump administration policies are threatening its wetland habitat, according to Inside Climate News.

Meanwhile, following a lawsuit from the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to finalize protections for the 11 other plant and animal species.

Those include the Florida Keys mole skink, the Rim Rock crowned snake and the Key ring-necked snake, Inside Climate News reported.

What's next: The delisting of the wood stork will be final on March 9.

Threatened Florida bird makes a comeback, wildlife officials say

The Trump administration is calling it a conservation success story.

A wood stork carries nesting material back to its nest in Delray Beach, Florida, on January 25, 2026. The wood stork is the only stork species that breeds in the United States and is known for using its sensitive bill to catch fish by touch in murky waters. (Photo by Ronen Tivony/NurPhoto via Getty 

A wood stork carries nesting material back to its nest in Delray Beach, Florida. Photo: Ronen Tivony/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Federal wildlife officials are removing protections for a Florida bird no longer considered threatened while agreeing to protect 11 other local plants and animals.Why it matters: The delisting of the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="wood stork" data-vars-click-url="https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/birds/waterbirds/wood-stork/" data-vars-content-id="7a7be545-c8fa-4eaf-98ee-bea86b7b1a99" data-vars-headline="Threatened Florida bird makes a comeback, wildlife officials say" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/birds/waterbirds/wood-stork/" target="_blank">wood stork</a> — decades after it was deemed endangered in 1984 — is being hailed by the Trump administration as a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="conservation success" data-vars-click-url="https://www.fws.gov/press-release/2026-02/wood-stork-delisted" data-vars-content-id="7a7be545-c8fa-4eaf-98ee-bea86b7b1a99" data-vars-headline="Threatened Florida bird makes a comeback, wildlife officials say" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.fws.gov/press-release/2026-02/wood-stork-delisted" target="_blank">conservation success</a> story.By the numbers: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the wood stork was near extinction in 1984, as its population had declined by more than 75% since the 1930s.<ul><li>That was largely due to habitat loss, especially in South Florida, the agency says.</li><li>In 2014, it was reclassified from endangered to threatened.</li><li>Today, the bird&#x27;s breeding population is estimated at between 10,000 and 14,000 nesting pairs — more than twice the number compared to when the species was listed.</li><li>Their breeding habitat stretches across Florida and other southern states.</li></ul>The other side: The Center for Biological Diversity argues the bird has not met recovery goals in South Florida and that Trump administration policies are threatening its wetland habitat, according to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Inside Climate News" data-vars-click-url="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/09022026/south-florida-plants-animals-endangered-species-act/" data-vars-content-id="7a7be545-c8fa-4eaf-98ee-bea86b7b1a99" data-vars-headline="Threatened Florida bird makes a comeback, wildlife officials say" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/09022026/south-florida-plants-animals-endangered-species-act/" target="_blank">Inside Climate News</a>.Meanwhile, following a lawsuit from the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to finalize protections for the 11 other plant and animal species.<ul><li>Those include the Florida Keys mole skink, the Rim Rock crowned snake and the Key ring-necked snake, Inside Climate News reported.</li></ul>What&#x27;s next: The delisting of the wood stork will be final on March 9.

Environment

If you haven't been to Wynwood in a few years, you would hardly recognize it today.

"It just feels like a brand new neighborhood," William Kelley, executive director of the Wynwood Business Improvement District, tells Axios.

Flashback: Before he was hired in September, Kelley first visited Wynwood in 2019 for Art Basel.

When he sees photos of what the area used to look like, he says, "It's night and day."

Wynwood street corner showing development between 2020 and 2025.

The corner of North Miami Avenue and Northwest 28th Street. Image: Google Street View. Animation: Brendan Lynch/Axios

Zoom in: Take, for example, these Google Street View photos of the corner of North Miami Avenue and Northwest 28th Street — one from 2020 and the other from 2025.

The sports bar Grails is still there, but what's behind it has completely changed. 

New neighbors include the co-living concept i5 Wynwood, the mixed-use development Wynwood Plaza and the office building Gateway at Wynwood.

Meanwhile, on Northwest Second Avenue, longtime businesses like Coyo Taco, Aviator Nation and Panther Coffee have survived the development around them. 

The apartment complex Society Wynwood launched in 2024, leasing ground-floor retail space to chains such as Starbucks, Dave's Hot Chicken and others.

A GIF of a Wynwood street corner showing how development has changed the area's skyline over the years.

Northwest Second Avenue in 2020 versus 2024. Society Wynwood is on the right. Image: Google Street View. Animation: Brendan Lynch/Axios

What did Wynwood look like in 2019? Photos show how development changed area

Wynwood has grown a lot in the past several years.

A GIF of a Wynwood street corner showing development changes over time.

North Miami Avenue in 2019 versus 2024. Image: Google Street View. Animation: Brendan Lynch/Axios

Side-by-side Google Street View photos show how a Wynwood street has changed due to development.

If you haven&#x27;t been to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Wynwood" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/02/26/wynwood-development-new-apartments-hotels" data-vars-content-id="9b31b336-3c17-4c9e-9b40-81c5ea77154f" data-vars-headline="What did Wynwood look like in 2019? Photos show how development changed area" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/02/26/wynwood-development-new-apartments-hotels" target="_self">Wynwood</a> in a few years, you would hardly recognize it today.<ul><li>&quot;It just feels like a brand new neighborhood,&quot; William Kelley, executive director of the Wynwood Business Improvement District, tells Axios.</li></ul>

Development

A political group seeking major reforms in city of Miami government says it has gathered enough signatures to put a proposed charter amendment before Miami voters in November.

Why it matters: The ground behind the petition campaign, Stronger Miami, says the proposals would dilute the concentration of power on the City Commission and boost voter turnout.

The latest: Stronger Miami, which describes itself as a collaboration of local grassroots organizations, says it has cleared the 20,000-signature threshold it says it needs to get the proposals onto the 2026 ballot.

Catch up quick: Here are the three major changes to the charter the group is proposing.

🗳️ Commission size: The size of the City Commission would expand from five to nine members under the proposed amendment.

Stronger Miami says this would reduce the power of any one commissioner, give residents more access to their elected leaders and make it more affordable to run for office.

🗓️ Election dates: City general elections would be held in November of even-numbered years instead of odd-numbered years.

Aligning local elections with federal and state elections would increase voter participation and reduce costs to the city, Stronger Miami says.

Commissioners have already voted to make this change in 2032, but Stronger Miami has said that is too far away, according to WLRN.

🗺️ Redistricting: The petition also seeks to prohibit commission districts from being drawn to favor or disfavor a political party while requiring districts to "respect neighborhoods and follow major geographic boundaries."

What's next: The signatures still need to be verified by the elections office.

Charter proposal to expand Miami commission one step closer to ballot

The proposal would expand the size of the commission from five to nine members.

Photo illustration of Miami City Hall with lines radiating from it. 

Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

A political group seeking major reforms in <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="city of Miami" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2025/12/10/trump-miami-mayor-election-results" data-vars-content-id="a0a50789-9254-47a3-b8cf-31557db719f7" data-vars-headline="Charter proposal to expand Miami commission one step closer to ballot" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2025/12/10/trump-miami-mayor-election-results" target="_self">city of Miami</a> government says it has gathered enough signatures to put a proposed charter amendment before Miami voters in November.Why it matters: The ground behind the petition campaign, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Stronger Miami" data-vars-click-url="https://strongermiami.org/" data-vars-content-id="a0a50789-9254-47a3-b8cf-31557db719f7" data-vars-headline="Charter proposal to expand Miami commission one step closer to ballot" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://strongermiami.org/" target="_blank">Stronger Miami</a>, says the proposals would dilute the concentration of power on the City Commission and boost voter turnout.

Politics

Miami International Airport announced a $1 billion plan to revamp Concourse D by creating new aircraft gates, passenger boarding areas and areas to dine and shop.

Why it matters: The often-criticized airport is undergoing a $9 billion Modernization in Action (M.I.A.) Plan to redevelop some concourses and terminals, while renovating escalators, boarding bridges and other infrastructure.

The latest: Concourse D currently, which currently has one common boarding space and 17 ground-level gates for smaller regional jets, will be expanded to include 17 traditional contact gates for a wider variety of aircraft, each with its own passenger hold room.

There will also be an enhanced baggage handling system and a third-level connection for international arrivals heading to Concourse D's U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility.

The new concourse, expected to break ground in 2027, will be exclusively used by American Airlines, per the Miami Herald.

A rendering of the planned expansion of Concourse D at Miami International Airport.

A rendering of the planned expansion of Concourse D at Miami International Airport. Credit: MIA

Follow the money: The $1 billion comes primarily from airport bond funding, the Herald reports.

Florida's Department of Transportation has also provided $34 million in grant funding for the project, per the Herald.

Miami International Airport announces $1 billion Concourse D expansion

MIA is in the midst of a large-scale modernization overhaul.

A rendering of the planned Concourse D at Miami International Airport

A rendering of the planned Concourse D at Miami International Airport. Credit: MIA

Miami International Airport announced a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="$1 billion plan" data-vars-click-url="https://news.miami-airport.com/miami-dade-county-mayor-and-american-airlines-unveil-plans-for-mias-concourse-d-expansion/" data-vars-content-id="d1a1ce3e-ef48-4bd7-a1b0-a8e2bf2d4917" data-vars-headline="Miami International Airport announces $1 billion Concourse D expansion" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://news.miami-airport.com/miami-dade-county-mayor-and-american-airlines-unveil-plans-for-mias-concourse-d-expansion/" target="_blank">$1 billion plan</a> to revamp Concourse D by creating new aircraft gates, passenger boarding areas and areas to dine and shop.Why it matters: The often-criticized airport is undergoing a $9 billion <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Modernization in Action (M.I.A.) Plan" data-vars-click-url="https://www.miami-airport.com/MIAFutureReady.asp" data-vars-content-id="d1a1ce3e-ef48-4bd7-a1b0-a8e2bf2d4917" data-vars-headline="Miami International Airport announces $1 billion Concourse D expansion" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.miami-airport.com/MIAFutureReady.asp" target="_blank">Modernization in Action (M.I.A.) Plan</a> to redevelop some concourses and terminals, while renovating escalators, boarding bridges and other infrastructure.

Travel

New apartments, hotels and office buildings have transformed Wynwood from a low-rise arts district into a densely packed mixed-use neighborhood.

Why it matters: The wave of taller, denser buildings has coincided with the opening of new restaurants and the arrival of companies including Amazon and Spotify — along with the closure of popular neighborhood bars Gramps and Wood Tavern.

The big picture: Wynwood is no longer just about street art and nightlife.

A major zoning change in 2015 kick-started the neighborhood's development into a place where you can live, work and play.

The Wynwood Neighborhood Revitalization District (NRD) allowed developers to build taller, higher-density residential and hotel projects in an area that had largely been limited to industrial and workplace zoning.

The new rules capped heights at 12 stories and incentivized the preservation of warehouses through the transfer of development rights. 

It also created a dedicated funding source for public improvements and required new developments to incorporate murals or glass treatments to their facades.

The i5 Wynwood co-living concept opened in 2024. Photo: Related Group

What they're saying: The rezoning plan, commissioned by the Wynwood Business Improvement District, aimed to help Wynwood grow while maintaining the character of a neighborhood known internationally for its street art.

Wynwood BID executive director William Kelley tells Axios that he wants to "preserve the look and feel of Wynwood" while improving the pedestrian experience with seating areas, trees and temporary street closures.

"We want the grit but not the grime," Kelley says. "We want it to be a place where you feel inspired, but you're OK if you sit down on the sidewalk."

Stunning stat: Kelley says Wynwood's population went from 1,000 before rezoning to around 6,000 today, about a decade later.

New developments will add over 3,000 residents, he says.

By the numbers: Data shared by the Wynwood BID shows at least four residential, hotel or office projects completed in the neighborhood in 2025, with another 14 planned. 

Data: Wynwood Business Improvement District; Map: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals. Note: Does not include Live Local Act proposals or Mana Wynwood Special Area Plan

Zoom in: One of those projects, The Cloud One Hotel & Residences Wynwood, plans to feature 214 hotel rooms, 85 condos and perhaps a small corner market when it opens in 2028.

Co-developer Sebastian Lüdke of the ALP.X Group tells Axios that any growing city will have "some stories of replacement that are not great" but that Wynwood's redevelopment will be a net-positive.

"You have new buildings and you have new streets here that are so activated, that have attracted new businesses, that have created great new places."

Rendering of the Cloud One Hotel & Residences (center). Credit: HWKN Architecture

The other side: When Gramps announced it was closing, Miami hospitality broker Felix Bendersky said it marked the end of the "old Wynwood."

In a podcast interview with Gramps owner Adam Gersten, Bendersky said he was "pissed that once that goes, everything's going to be a f—ing Foot Locker and a Starbucks."

Mapped: Kelley shared a map showing how the 2015 zoning supercharged higher-density development in Wynwood and what else is planned for the neighborhood.

Two 3D city maps showing buildings by construction year: beige (Pre-2008), lime green (2008-2015), light green (2016-2020), teal (2021-2025), and blue (2026-2030).

A visualization of how Wynwood's skyline has evolved since 2008. Credit: Wynwood Business Improvement District. Note: Does not include Live Local Act proposals or Mana Wynwood Special Area Plan.

Meanwhile, Florida's Live Local Act, which allows developers to exceed height and density limits if they build workforce housing, has sparked a wave of proposed projects that would exceed Wynwood's height limits.

How development has changed Wynwood — and what's next for upzoned arts district

Tracking Wynwood's evolution in recent years, as new zoning sparked development wave.

The Society Wynwood apartment complex opened in 2024. Credit: Society Wynwood

New apartments, hotels and office buildings have transformed Wynwood from a low-rise arts district into a densely packed mixed-use neighborhood.Why it matters: The wave of taller, denser buildings has coincided with the opening of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new" data-vars-click-url="https://www.miamiherald.com/miami-com/restaurants/article255171342.html" data-vars-content-id="fd2a8572-6d69-4444-9cd0-be6f60087b4c" data-vars-headline="How development has changed Wynwood — and what&#x27;s next for upzoned arts district" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.miamiherald.com/miami-com/restaurants/article255171342.html" target="_blank">new</a> <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="restaurants" data-vars-click-url="https://miami.eater.com/2023/4/27/23693932/pastis-miami-now-open-photos-menu" data-vars-content-id="fd2a8572-6d69-4444-9cd0-be6f60087b4c" data-vars-headline="How development has changed Wynwood — and what&#x27;s next for upzoned arts district" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://miami.eater.com/2023/4/27/23693932/pastis-miami-now-open-photos-menu" target="_blank">restaurants</a> and the arrival of companies including Amazon and Spotify — along with the closure of popular neighborhood bars <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Gramps" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2025/08/28/gramps-in-wynwood-announces-january-closure" data-vars-content-id="fd2a8572-6d69-4444-9cd0-be6f60087b4c" data-vars-headline="How development has changed Wynwood — and what&#x27;s next for upzoned arts district" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2025/08/28/gramps-in-wynwood-announces-january-closure" target="_self">Gramps</a> and Wood Tavern.

Martin Vassolo

Featured stories

Miami International Airport announces $1 billion Concourse D expansion

How development has changed Wynwood — and what's next for upzoned arts district

What did Wynwood look like in 2019? Photos show how development changed area

Charter proposal to expand Miami commission one step closer to ballot

Threatened Florida bird makes a comeback, wildlife officials say