A collaborative effort resulted in the removal of masses of harmful Water Hyacinth from the drainage ditch that forms a border of the King Family Preserve in Panama City. Water Hyacinth grows faster than any other plant of its type, doubling its population in 6-18 days. It was introduced from Asia because it was considered beautiful, but like many so-called “beautiful” plants, it quickly proved to be an ugly visitor! It clogs waterways, uses up oxygen, and displaces beneficial native plants.
King Family Preserve is owned by Bay County Conservancy, which is developing a “Wildlife Walk” along the levee that runs alongside the drainage ditch, previously clogged with hyacinth. They arranged for volunteers from GulfCorps, a workforce development opportunity that provides jobs for young people on the Gulf Coast, to carry out their mission of treating and removing invasive plants. Sponsored by federal and private organizations, GulfCorps performs tasks that benefit the public while also giving young people skills training and offering them scholarships for further education.
These brave and hardy young men and women pulled on their chest-high waders and plunged into the waters of the ditch, pulling out masses of Water Hyacinth to dry out on the levee. Then, volunteers from Bay County Conservancy and Sandhills Nursery loaded the hyacinth onto wheelbarrows and dumped them in piles on Wood Avenue. Panama City’s Solid Waste Division pitched in and picked up the piles of weeds for disposal. Now, the challenge will be to keep the ditch from filling up with weeds again! A grant has been obtained for a weed barrier to be strung across the ditch, and continued surveillance as work continues on the “Wildlife Walk” will hopefully keep the ditch clear and flowing.
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