Partnering in Phragmites Management

What is Phragmites?

Phragmites removal at Brucedale Conservation Area Phragmites australis (Common Reed), is a non-native, invasive grass that has covered extensive areas of Southern Ontario after arriving here from Europe in the early 1900s.

Phragmites can out-compete other plants in the area and create a thick stand of plants with up to 200 stems per square metre.

This plant has huge impacts on coastal wetlands that include changes to water flow, nutrient uptake and lost habitat for native plants and the animals that use the wetlands.

Other impacts:

Local economies for shoreline areas.
Decrease in property values.
Recreational use of the beaches and shoreline.
Tourism.
Overall coastal ecosystem.

What have we done to remove Phragmites?

Since 2015, Enbridge Inc. has provided funding to control this invasive plant and begin restoration of the wetland at Brucedale Conservation Area.

Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority, the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation, Invasive Phragmites Control Centre, and the Municipality of Kincardine all worked in partnership with Enbridge to remove the Phragmites (2015-2020), improve wetland habitat, reduce human impacts on wetland health, and provide educational opportunities for local residents and school groups.

Removal of the phragmites included working in partnership with Enbridge to remove the Phragmites (2015-2020). This improved wetland habitat, reduced human impacts on wetland health, and provided educational opportunities for local residents and school groups.

Tools used for Phragmites removal:

Long handled hedge trimmers.
Raspberry cane cutters.
Spade shovels.
Mechanical aquatic cutting machine called a Truxor.
Canoe and rakes to collect the cut material.
Removal of cut material transported to landfill site.

Equipment loan program:

The best time to complete the cutting is in late July and August.
Our staff have developed an equipment loan program to help you with phragmites removal in any open water or along shorelines!
You can borrow our long handled hedge trimmers to cut the phragmites that is growing in the water, or you can borrow the cane cutters to cut in water or on dry land.

Enbridge’s five year commitment to this project was in the amount of $100,000. Check out the videos below on the project to remove Phragmites at Brucedale Conservation Area.

Contact a Conservation Specialist for more information.