Audubon Florida Everglades Policy Associate Jane Graham writes in about her most recent adventure on Lake Okeechobee with Audubon's Dr. Paul Gray and SFWMD Governing Board Member Timothy Sargent! Enjoy:

Last week, Dr. Paul Gray and I enjoyed a beautiful day out on Lake Okeechobee in the company of Timothy Sargent, a Governing Board member of the South Florida Water Management District. Many times when Paul and I give public officials an airboat tour, it is one of their first voyages out on an airboat in a wetland. This was not the case with Mr. Sargent, who grew up exploring the Grassy Waters Preserve in Palm Beach County in his father’s airboat.

Lake Okeechobee’s water levels are currently about a foot lower than normal but the ecology of the lake looked healthy. American Coots dashed across the rim of the crystal water, Sandhill Cranes soared above our boat, making the characteristic clucking sound, and an Everglade Snail Kite searched for food. Paul noticed an area of the marsh with a mild algal bloom at the edge of the open water where water quality as not as good as in the marsh.

We pulled up to Fox Island, an island within Lake Okeechobee’s marsh made of a spoil pile. The island’s name sake, Donald Fox, a Biological Administrator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC), was tending to the vegetation.  Don showed us around the island and explained that FFWCC planted varieties of plants on the island as experiments to see what fared best. Interestingly, the cactus plants were doing exceptionally well.

Paul took one "short-cut" that got us stuck in some dense vegetation, but with Paul pushing and Tim driving, we got out without too much trouble! The excitement never ends on Lake Okeechobee!

Audubon Florida thanks Mr. Sargent for joining us for our latest adventure. As the dry season progresses, we will be carefully monitoring the health of Lake Okeechobee. Bookmark our blog and check back often for the latest conservation news from the Everglades' liquid heart.