ONLINE – Annie D’Alton will present a webinar February 17, from noon to 1 p.m. about a pilot study at Nichols pond concerning manual phragmites control. She is an amateur botanist, citizen scientist and volunteer with the Lake Champlain Committee Cyanobacteria and Aquatic Invasive Species monitoring programs.
Phragmites australis, or Common Reed, is a non-native, invasive, wetland grass found throughout Vermont. It dominates wetlands and destroys biodiversity by forming dense monocultures. It spreads, clogging drainage ditches, crowding out native species and degrading habitats. It creates dense stands that hinder wildlife movement, particularly for turtles, frogs and fish. The reeds grow up to 15 feet and spread by underground rhizomes that are difficult to manage. In this webinar, attendees will learn about non-herbicide hand-harvesting methods which have had some success in the Great Lakes region and are now being tested in a pilot study here in Vermont at Nichols Pond.
This free webinar is a virtual event open to the public but registration is required to receive the link. Registration information can be found on the FOVLAP website at vermontlakes.org/event/manual-phragmites-control-a-pilot-study-at-nichols-pond/
