Volunteers with Our Santa Fe River, Current Problems, Alachua County Forever, Rum 138 and the North Central Florida Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area assisted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) to pull the invasive water hyacinth.
“We are grateful for the partners and volunteers who work alongside us to ensure the long-term well-being of our waterways and their benefit to people,” said Chris Boever, a regional biologist in FWC’s Invasive Plant Management Section.
The invasive plant forms underwater mats that interfere with boat traffic, recreation, flood control and wildlife use, according to a press release.
The volunteers pulled the plants by hand, but the FWC also used biological controls and herbicide treatments to manage invasive species.
