Webinar: Tall Tales: Stories of Progress in Invasive Phragmites Management in Minnesota
Wednesday, May 22, 1 p.m.
Part of the Aquatic Invasive Species webinar series.
Did you know there has been a landscape-scale effort to prevent invasive Phragmites from becoming a major threat to Minnesota habitats for the past four years? Invasive Phragmites (Phragmites australis subsp. australis) is a tall, non-native grass that can dominate wetlands and lakeshores, displace native flora and fauna, and harm recreation, infrastructure, and ecological functioning. Starting in 2017, crowd-sourced reporting and dedicated surveillance revealed a manageable invasion that, with adequate effort, could be reversed. We partnered with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and many local managers to confront the problem. Now, four years into a carefully coordinated, statewide control effort, partners have largely succeeded in preventing the sprawling invasive Phragmites stands seen in other states. Ongoing efforts have continued to raise awareness and identify new populations. A substantial number of previously treated populations are no longer detectable. We will also discuss progress toward finding alternatives for wastewater treatment facilities that use invasive Phragmites in their operations, as well as hybridization with native Phragmites. Concerned individuals can help by learning to identify the plant, avoiding actions that could contribute to its spread, and reporting suspected new populations. With collaboration, attention to detail, and persistence, we can prevent invasive Phragmites from transforming Minnesota lakeshores, wetlands, and other habitats.
Join this webinar to hear the latest in Phragmites research and management from the experts themselves: Chelsey Blanke, Julia Bohnen, and Daniel Larkin.
