Lake Kissimmee Restoration Project

FWC photo by Savanna Mathis.

FWC leading historic restoration efforts on Lake Kissimmee

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is undertaking a historic restoration effort to promote native plant communities through large-scale revegetation on Lake Kissimmee. The FWC has allocated an unprecedented $2.35 million over two years to support this restoration effort, marking the largest revegetation project in agency history. This revegetation project is just one component of an FWC-led, multidisciplinary approach to restoring the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes system. This project is possible with support from Florida’s Legislators and Governor Ron DeSantis.

Lake Kissimmee, one of the largest natural lakes in Florida, is a premier fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing resource and home to the endangered Everglade snail kite. In recent years, Lake Kissimmee’s vital aquatic grasses have declined due to grazing by exotic apple snails, hurricanes and artificially stabilized water levels. This aquatic habitat restoration project is designed to restore healthy aquatic habitat that will enhance water quality and improve habitat for a variety of fish and wildlife, including waterfowl and the unique Florida bass.

From 2017 to 2024, a total of 686,635 native aquatic plants were planted in Lake Kissimmee, including 233,191 maidencane plants, 211,444 Egyptian paspalidium plants (both grass species are commonly known as Kissimmee grass) and 242,000 bulrush plants along various shorelines around the lake. Planting areas were chosen based on water depth and firmness of the lake bottom to enhance fish and wildlife habitat and provide additional Everglade snail kite foraging and nesting areas.

In spring 2025, another 534,545 grasses and bulrush were planted along the western, southern and eastern shorelines, along with Brahma Island in the middle of the lake. Additionally, 1,100 wetland trees were planted around the lake to provide perching and nesting habitat for wading birds and Everglade snail kites. The Everglade snail kite has already been documented using the newly-planted trees.

This work aligns with the FWC Kissimmee Chain of Lakes Fish, Wildlife and Habitat Management Plan, developed with input from various stakeholders.