The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on Tuesday, Feb. 9, will begin removing 27 acres of floating plant material in Lake Istokpoga's Big Island Marsh in Highlands County. The project is scheduled to take about two months.

Mechanical harvesters will be used to remove the heavy mats of floating plants, often called tussocks, in the marsh, which is critical habitat for many fish and wildlife species, including the Everglades snail kite.

The FWC will remove plants that include cattail, primrose and burhead sedge to reduce the negative effects of decaying plant material on the marsh.

The 27,692-acre Lake Istokpoga near Sebring is known for its black crappie and largemouth bass fishery. However, the lake has undergone changes in the past 30 years that have affected the quality of its fish and wildlife habitat. The FWC designed this project as part of ongoing enhancement of the marsh of the Big Island. This work is complementary to other aquatic plant management activities currently taking place around the lake.

For questions, contact Carly Althoff, an FWC aquatic habitat project manager, at 863-697-6323.



Contact: Diane Hirth, 850-410-5291