Wildlife Officials Look To Remove Trees on Lake Bistineau
By: Erica Bennett
Updated: October 2, 2011
Lake Bistineau has always been known for it's prestine beauty and picturesque quality. When Giant salvinia took over in 2006, all that was compromised.
"This stuff is...you wouldn't want to wish it on your worst enemy," he said. Jim MccAllister has been working at Lake Bistineau State Park for years. He says after multiple remedy attempts, wildlife officials are now looking to the cypress trees for relief. "They are really pretty and have been here hundreds of years, but if we don't do something, it's going to really kill the lake," he continued. Under the proposal, Wildlife and Fisheries agents would come in and chop down at least 10,000 trees. Officials say the mushroom shaped base of the tree is a hiding spot for salvinia...making it nearly impossilbe to completely kill off. Portia Gay has a front row view of the trees from Bistineau Inn. She says the removal of the cypress could cause a big stir in the community. "It's part of Bistineau. It's just a part of Bistineau. It's always been there and that's where it's been," she said. Gay's boss Doc Sheffield has a different view. "I think they should start cutting trees. They need to be threaded out a little bit, cleaned. But, I don't want to see the big ones go," he said. MccAllister says no matter what side of the debate residents are on...everyone can agree on one thing: "They're going to have to do something or it's going to completely kill this lake."Before any removal can start, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has to produce a contour map of the lake bottom. The Army Corps of Engineers also has to sign off on the plan.
