Phragmites australis (common reed) management is of ongoing concern for many land management agencies and conservationists. In many areas, a continued rapid population expansion of introduced Phragmites has resulted in the investment of large amounts of resources into repeated control efforts. We are interested in collecting information on recent management of Phragmites, as well as opinions on future management options. Results of this survey will be used to develop guidelines and management suggestions and will aid in future research.
Phragmites australis (common reed) is a wetland plant found throughout the Northern hemisphere. In the United States there are two “types” of Phragmites australis: a native type (Phragmites australis subspp. americanus) and an introduced type.
A non-native Phragmites type was introduced from Eurasia to the East Coast of the United States in the mid-nineteenth century. Since its introduction, non-native Phragmites populations have expanded across the United States and Canada. Records indicate that many native Phragmites populations have declined, particularly in the East and along the Atlantic Coast, whereas in the West and Southwest populations appear stable at the present time.
Phragmites australis (common reed)
Land managers have approached Phragmites control using a variety of methods, including local or aerial spray of herbicide, controlled flooding, mowing, disking, or fire. After decades of attempts to control Phragmites along the East coast, managers began to explore options for biological control of Phragmites. In 1998 the exploratory search for biocontrol agents began in Europe (with the help of CABI Europe, Switzerland Centre). Through work spanning the past decade, several promising control agents have been identified and are currently being studied for their host specificity (see www.invasiveplants.net for an update on biocontrol efforts and a list of recent publications).
You do not need to be an expert on Phragmites management, nor does your organization need to have managed for Phragmites in the past—we are interested in your opinions.
Please complete the following survey in reference to the local area that you manage, not the overall holdings of your organization (for example, if you manage a region for the New York Department of Transportation, please answer for that region and not the overall NYDOT).
The survey should take approximately 30 minutes to complete.