About the Project

Osceola County, Florida was awarded a $2.881 million dollar grant by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct a project to find new and alternative ways to manage hydrilla and hygrophila (and other invasive exotic plants) in the Upper Kissimmee Chain of Lakes.  This project is deemed the Demonstration Project on Hydrilla and Hygrophila in the Upper Kissimmee Chain of Lakes (Demonstration Project for short).  For detailed information about the project, view the Workplan.  For current reports on the ongoing research for the project, view the Project Reports.

Goal of the Demonstration Project:
To provide cost-effective and selective control of hydrilla and hygrophila (and other target invasive plants) while encouraging the establishment and growth of native plants.

Project Components:

  1. Evaluating new herbicides that are being developed for use on aquatic weeds.
  2. Evaluating existing herbicides and different application methods to improve their effectiveness on controlling aquatic weeds.
  3. Searching for biological control agents, such as insects, that control hydrilla and hygrophila in their native environment.
  4. Developing outreach strategies and demonstrating the results of the project to the public, federal, state, and local government partners, and local herbicide applicators.
Researchers with the Demonstration Project
Researchers with the
Demonstration Project.

 

East African Diaries - discover what researchers in Africa are doing to find new biocontrol agents for hydrilla control.

East African Diaries Photogallery

India Trip Report - see what researchers in India have uncovered about hygrophila biocontrol agents.

Lake Bisina Expedition - Get the latest update about hydrilla biocontrol research.