OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced on Tuesday it is undertaking a large-scale, unprecedented $2.35 million restoration effort over the next two years to restore native plants in and around Lake Kissimmee.
The project is designed to enhance the lake’s water quality and improve the habitat for a variety of fish and wildlife, including waterfowl and the unique Florida bass, according to a news release.
“Lake Kissimmee is one of Florida’s crown jewels when it comes to sport fishing,” Tom Graef, director of the FWC’s Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management, said in a statement. “These restoration efforts will strengthen its reputation as a world-class fishery by improving critical habitat for Florida bass and other native species.”
Lake Kissimmee, one of the one of the largest natural lakes in Florida, has had its vital aquatic grasses decline due to grazing by exotic apple snails, hurricanes and artificially stabilized water levels, the commission said.
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From 2017 to 2025, over a million plants have been planted in and around the shorelines of Lake Kissimmee, officials said, including 1,100 wetland trees to provide perching and nesting habitats for wading birds and the endangered Everglade snail kites.
“Native aquatic grasses are vital for the success of freshwater ecosystems,” said Melissa Tucker, director of the FWC’s Division of Habitat and Species Conservation. “It’s encouraging to see these efforts already rewarded with the presence of endangered Everglade snail kites.”
This revegetation project is just one component of an FWC-led, multidisciplinary approach to restoring the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes system, officials said.