An aggressive species of plant growing in the Clarkston area could choke the life from area lakes and wetlands if it’s not addressed quickly and correctly.
That’s the message from worried residents and environmental groups planning a March 11 workshop entitled Frightening Phragmites: Neighborhood Invaders.
The event is the culmination of efforts began by Independence Township resident Elizabeth Wagner, who began gathering information after spotting the invasive species on her Deer Lake Farms property.
‘I’m eager to have this presentation,? said Wagner, ‘before people start to see Phragmites come up in their yards and cause it to spread. We want to let people know what you can and can’t do to control it.?
According to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Phragmites (frag-MY-teez), also known as common reed, is a perennial type of grass that degrades wetlands and coastal areas by crowding out native plants and animals with its tall, dense mass of reedy stalks.
Wagner, who said she’s in the process of introducing native plants around her beachfront property, fears her yard will be lost to the belligerent Phragmites.
But worse, she fears many local wetlands and lakes may be damaged or destroyed without appropriate action.
It’s that fear, she said, that encouraged her to help plan and promote the upcoming workshop for homeowners, local government officials and lake board association members and other interested residents.
Across Michigan, others seem equally worried.
‘Hopefully I can make people understand the gravity of the situation so they know what they’re up against,? said Mebby Pearson, an AmeriCorps environmental educator with the Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Program, who will speak at the event. ?(Phragmites) is a pretty plant and you think ‘oh is that interesting, isn’t that nice? but before you know it, it fills your whole backyard. People need to understand the plant so they can get after it when it starts to appear on the edge of their property.?
But, she said, it’s important to manage the plant correctly’or risk making the problem worse.
While Phragmites can grow to a height of 15 feet, 80 percent of the plant is contained in an underground mass of roots and rhizomes reaching six feet or more into the soil.
‘This plant is working underground and it spreads very quickly,? said Pearson, noting vigorous rhizomes’horizontal roots that readily produce new shoots, especially when disturbed, fuel the plant’s rapid growth. ‘It’ll destroy a wetland.?
In addition to environmental threats, Phragmites also blocks shoreline views, and reduces access for swimming, fishing, and hunting.
Although a native variety of Phragmites does grow in Michigan, environmentalists warn the invasive, non-native type is becoming widespread and threatens ecological health of inland lakes and wetlands as well as the Great Lakes coastal shoreline.
‘It’s at really terrible proportions on the east side of the country,? Pearson said, explaining that a trip to Harsen’s Island in Lake St. Clair will quickly illustrate devastating effects of Phragmites for doubters.
‘On the way to Harsen’s Island you see nothing but a sea of Phragmites,? she said. ‘Just like the sea of cornfields when you drive through Illinois. It spreads like wildfire.?
During the March 11 workshop, Pearson will discuss the methods of treatment, where to find qualified professional help and explain why it’s crucial to apply various treatments only during certain times of the year.
She’ll also talk about permits’DNR approval is required for many aspects of Phragmites treatment’and how to avoid using the wrong chemicals, which is not only illegal but may also kill healthy aquatic life.
‘It’s about management,? she said. ‘I don’t know if you ever can completely eradicate Phragmites, but you can prevent it from taking over before the vegetation starts filling in and causing the death of your lake.?