Spray crew uses airboat when spraying for aquatic weeds.

The Invasive Plant Control department uses various herbicides as Highland ’s County primary method to manage nuisance aquatic and upland plants such as hydrilla, water hyacinth, water lettuce, torpedo grass and other wide-spread invasive weeds in county lakes and public lands.

Management of noxious weeds is necessary to protect our valuable natural ecosystem.  This programs main focus is to bring invasive, non-native weeds under control.  Noxious plants are those that have the potential to hinder the growth of beneficial native plants.

What can you do to help?

Learn how to identify invasive non-native plants, as well as native plants.

Boat trailers are one of the major sources of moving exotic aquatic weeds from one water body to the next. Before you leave a boat ramp, carefully inspect your trailer and boat for aquatic weeds. Many plant species can grow back from even tiny fragments, thereby infesting new water bodies.

Never empty the contents of your home aquarium into the wild. Many aquarium plants are imported from around the world and could become a nuisance weed in Florida 's waters.

When buying plants, never buy plants which you suspect are non-native.

Never disturb wildlife.

Click here for pdf brochure for aquatic weed identification