FWC removing cattail from Lake Toho

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will be removing about 31 acres of cattail and other vegetation from the Big Grassy Island area of Lake Tohopekaliga during the next month.

Mechanical harvesters and barge-mounted excavators will remove thick stands of cattail to create open-water habitat for fish and wildlife. The cleared areas will also provide critical foraging areas for the endangered Everglade snail kite. For a number of years, the lake has been crucial to the nesting and rearing of offspring by the species.

Lake Tohopekaliga is a 18,810-acre natural lake on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. Historically, it’s been a popular destination for professional and recreational anglers, along with waterfowl hunters and outdoors enthusiasts.

The FWC-designed cattail removal project is part of ongoing efforts to enhance and maintain the lake’s shallow-water habitat for the benefit of fish and wildlife, and the various user groups that utilize the lake’s resources.

For more information, contact FWC aquatic habitat project manager Kevin McDaniel at 407-846-5276.