Phragmites line many local highways, crowding out native species and damaging local ecosystems and infrastructure.
Peterborough County has received a grant through the Invasive Phragmites Control Fund, supported by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and the Invasive Species Centre.
This funding will support the mapping of invasive Phragmites along County Road allowances and help assess the best methods and resources needed to develop a management plan.
Invasive Phragmites is a perennial grass introduced to Canada’s coastal regions in the 1800s. It spreads aggressively by outcompeting native vegetation for water, sunlight, nutrients, and space. By the late 1990s, it had become well established across Ontario, posing a major threat to wetlands and shorelines.
This species reduces biodiversity and competes with native vegetation. It also reduces water levels in wet-lands and along shorelines, threatening species that rely on these habitats. Because it is often found along roadsides, it can block motorist sightlines and obstruct road signs, where it also affects drainage systems and damages roadside infrastructure.
In Peterborough County, Phragmites have been identified not only near wetlands and waterways, but also within roadside ditches and agricultural lands, where they interfere with visibility, drainage, and soil stability.
This funding has supported the development of a mapping application in Peter-borough County which records Phragmites populations along County Road allowances. Data collected includes population size, density, hydrological conditions, and whether the species is present on public or private land. This mapping initiative enables the County to visualize the scale of the issue and overlay additional information, such as provincially significant wetlands and ongoing eradication efforts from partner organizations. This approach will guide the development of a Phragmites management program that follows best management practices.
The Ontario Phragmites Action (OPA) program coordinates a collaborative, province-wide effort to combat the impacts and spread of invasive Phragmites. This initiative is made possible by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and led by the Invasive Species Centre and the Nature Conservancy of Canada, alongside a network of dedicated partners and will support the protection of local ecosystems, infrastructure, and biodiversity across Ontario.