WEBVTT

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on airboats . They travel hunting for

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south american non natives that are

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hiding in the marshes of Lake

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Okeechobee . But for these men , non

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natives come in the form of a nuisance

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plant called water hyacinth , which can

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be extremely damaging to the lake's

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ecology and economy . They can float

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into areas and cause problems for

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navigation . They can uproot our native

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plant communities such as bull rush in

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that particular vegetation is important

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for fisheries in like a chubby

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armed with spray nozzles . Crews

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working for the Army Corps of Engineers ,

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south florida Water management district

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and the florida Wildlife Conservation

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Commission scour the lake applying a

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small amount of herbicide mixed with

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water on the invasive plants so the

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population can be maintained . We've

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tried different methods over the years

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and really herbicides have been the

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only thing that have been able to keep

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the plants at a consistent low level .

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If the herbicide had an effect on the

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fish population , it would not be able

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to be approved by the ePA for aquatic

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use . The process is a never ending one .

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As soon as crews spray one area another

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pops up . Eradication would would

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generally be considered impossible with

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that plant because it forms a huge seed

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bank with water hyacinth and that seed

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bank is in the probably trillions of

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seeds in the bottom of Lake Okeechobee .

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So day in and day out . As long as

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weather conditions and wildlife

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restrictions warrant the cruise

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traverse the lake attempting to keep

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the plant in check . So conditions

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don't become catastrophic . If we leave

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them alone , it's been proven that

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they'll grow very rapidly to large

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areas , large areas that would continue

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to grow and upset the delicate natural

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balance in what is considered the heart

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of the florida Everglades from

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Clewiston florida Patrick Bloodgood .