Windsor adds voice in call for provincial phragmites strategy

Lobbying efforts to create a provincial strategy in the ongoing battle against a harmful and invasive plant continue to grow across Ontario.

Last week, Windsor city council joined the call for the provincial government to develop a control strategy for the prolific phragmites plant that has been choking out native reeds in wetlands and ditches.

According to Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, phragmites is an aggressive plant that spreads quickly and out-competes native species for water and nutrients. It releases toxins from its roots into the soil to hinder the growth of and kill surrounding plants. While it prefers areas of standing water, its roots can grow to extreme lengths, allowing it to survive in relatively dry areas.

• Invasive phragmites in Windsor sought by U.S. researchers

Several city departments have individually tackled phragmites, but council now wants a more co-ordinated effort. Getting the province on side would go a long way to reversing the spread," explained Karen Cedar, a naturalist with the city.

"It would really help direct all the local efforts as well," she said. "We need somebody to take the lead on that. If only certain places are dealing with it, we'll never be done."

Phragmites was first seen in Ontario in the late 1940s. It moves into an area and quickly chokes outother vegetation.

Until the province gets on board, the city will move ahead with a $50,000 pilot project to test out three different methods of controllingphragmites.

"So, we thought we'd try out a few different situations with a few different methods, and be able to report back on the successes or failures of those," Cedar said.

Provincial Co-ordination

Other groups around Ontario have sentletters to the province as well, including the Essex Region Conservation Authority. Also part of the lobbying effort isJanice Gilbert, who runs a company that restores areas attacked by phragmites.

She's appealing for the premier's support to develop a "well-funded well-co-ordinated phragmites control program."

"There are a number of groups on the landscape that are doing great work in their areas, trying to control phragmites, but without the concerted provincewide effort, we just aren't going to win this battle," she said.

Gilbert says the Ministry of Natural Resources is supportive of efforts to eradicate it, but other ministries, such as environment and transportation, need to get involved.

She hopes Premier Kathleen Wynne can push for a province-wide strategy.

"They need the time to really make sure that this ask is something that is reasonable, is responsible from their end of things and that it's something that they can support," Gilbert said.

She wants to see "political assistance" from Wynne in order to get approval for aerial spraying of a different herbicide to combat phragmites in wet areas.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Natural Resources says it is pursuing approval from the federal government to use herbicide on wetland areas on an emergency basis.