By: Abby Bezrutczyk
Back in July, we found an unwelcome guest in a coastal plain pond within Sears Bellows County Park. As part of our monitoring for invasive species in priority waterbodies, our eyes were mainly focused on the potential submerged invasive species that would come up on our rake toss. But what we found instead was Phragmites: and a very small stand of it, at that. This is exactly the kind of target we were looking for, and managing it has been perhaps the most impactful thing we’ve done this year.
If that seems like an exaggeration, consider this: Phragmites (common reed, Phragmites australis) takes over wetlands and shallow waterbodies with ease. To the chagrin of any who attempt management, its rhizome system is incredibly persistent, sending up new shoots throughout the summer and dispatching runners that can grow 10ft long in a single season. Research suggests that eradicating large stands of phragmites (>3000m2) is next to impossible – so seeing such a small collection of it, and being able to manage it, is exactly what our early detection and rapid response is designed to do.
Our team cannot feasibly manage Phragmites all over Long Island; it is simply too widespread. But we can prioritize the management of very small stands in places where it threatens a protected area. House Pond in Sears-Bellows County Park is one of our priority waterbodies– classified as such because of its intact ecological communities and present native species populations, among other factors.
Armed with the proper permits at last, we were eager to do the work before the weather got any colder. On this occasion, the water level in the pond was quite low, making access more challenging. Our team split in two: I paddled through mud and decomposing bladderworts to the central stand, while Haley followed carefully on land to reach small stems inaccessible by kayak. We were excited to try out our new raspberry cane cutters, resembling a sharp and elongated candy cane, to cut the stems below the waterline. This method aims to inundate the plant with water and starve the rhizome system of oxygen.
Within 30 minutes, the task was done, but work like this leaves a lasting impact. While we will return in the future to monitor this stand and repeat management, being able to protect this pond from phragmites at this stage is a great success.
