By Ross McGowan, Friends of Lemonie Point Vice President & Secretary
Phragmites australis (Phragmites, pronounced “frag-MY-tees”) or European common reed, is a perennial wetland plant that forms dense, near monoculture stands. In 2005, Agriculture and Agrifood Canada identified it as the nation’s “worst” invasive plant species damaging wetland habitats, reducing plant and wildlife diversity and threatening a high number of species-atrisk. Rapid expansion occurred during the 1990s such that it now occurs throughout Ontario and is one of the most significant threats to Great Lakes coastal habitats. Phragmites is a common sight along Ontario’s major highways and secondary roads which act as vectors to spread the species. Bath Road in Kingston is one such vector.
One challenge in dealing with invasive Phragmites is identification. It has a genetic relative of similar appearance, Phragmites australis subsp. Americanus (American reed) that is native to parts of the US and Canada, including Ontario. Unlike the invasive lineage, native Phragmites rarely develops into monoculture stands and does not have the same undesirable impacts on habitat and biodiversity and is considered beneficial to its host ecosystems.
Although each subspecies of Phragmites has distinct features, differentiation is not easy. With identification uncertainty, best practice is to consult an expert for assistance in identification, particularly within natural environments, or sensitive aquatic habitats.
Lemoine Point Conservation Area has two stands of Phragmites, both located in wetland areas at the north end of the property (Figure 1). Cataraqui Conservation and The Friends have been aware of the more southern stand (“South wetland stand”) for many years; it was thought to be of the native subspecies. The “North wetland stand” was identified in late fall 2023, and a plan subsequently established to assess it in 2024 as well as to ascertain the subspecies and invasiveness of each stand.
2024 turned out to be a perfect time to confront the Phragmites situation at
Lemoine Point. The Friends needed expert assistance, and it happened that just such a person was getting a Phragmites program underway for the entire Cataraqui Conservation watershed. Holly Evans, Watershed Planning Coordinator for Cataraqui Conservation, convened the first meeting of the Cataraqui Region Phragmites Management Area on January 15, 2024.
April 29th was a typically rainy spring day, and Holly joined Ross McGowan for an initial assessment of our Phragmites patches. With the plants dormant, there were fewer clues to assess, but it was apparent that both patches were Phragmites. Holly suggested a return visit later in the year when the plants were actively growing, since differentiation would be easier.
July 28th was a great time for a follow-up visit in terms of plant vitality, but not so much for working conditions. When the team set out at 9 am it was already warm, and when they finished up later in the morning it was sweltering. It was worth the effort, though. We came away with good photos, filled-in checklists, including a Site Prioritization Tool, but most precious of all, we also collected plant material to submit for DNA testing at Trent University.
As of the time of writing the DNA test results are not yet available. Stay tuned for updates!
If it is confirmed that one of our stands consists of invasive Phragmites, we will collaborate with Cataraqui Conservation on a habitat recovery plan.
If you would like to support the Cataraqui Conservation Phragmites initiative, you are in luck as they are recruiting citizen scientists to assist with a phragmites survey! More information can be found on their website. https://cataraquiconservation.ca/pages/invasive-species
