Staff
The date is set and volunteers are needed for this year’s massive cull of Phragmites Australis, an invasive grass that grows so thick that turtles can become trapped and die.
This August 24, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., the Blue Mountain Watershed Trust, the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority and other partners will be going head-to-head with phragmites, a grass that grows up to ten feet high. The effort this year is made possible in large part to a financial contribution by the W. Garfield Weston Foundation.
“Phragmites is an extremely fast-growing, invasive, non-native grass,” said George Powell, a member of the Blue Mountain Watershed Trust. “It continues to take over Georgian Bay shoreline, invade wetlands and threaten our most precious ecosystems, like wetlands.”
If left unchecked, Phragmites will cause serious damage to the biodiversity of the area. It out-competes native wetland plant species, creating a monoculture that compromises desirable habitat for all manner of wildlife. Phragmites also releases toxins from its roots into the surrounding soil, which impede the growth of and even kill off neighbouring vegetation.
Where and when
Everyone is welcome to come and volunteer next Saturday, from children to seniors, for an hour or for the entire morning. At noon, volunteers and family are invited to join in a complimentary BBQ lunch. There are two locations for cutting. The rallying points are the north end of Hickory Street where it terminates at the parking lot of the Collingwood Arboretum, and at 49 Huron Street in the parking lot just east of Sobeys in front of the Iron Skillet. The lunch BBQ will be held at 49 Huron Street at noon.
Volunteers should expect to spend the day outside and in the water/muck, and should bring sunscreen, a hat, drinking water, clothes that can get wet/dirty, gloves (if possible) and sturdy footwear. This event is eligible for high school volunteer hours, so don’t forget to bring your forms.
Those interested can learn more and are asked to please sign up at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fight-the-phrag-in-collingwood-tickets-69210940787.
For more information, contact Sarah Campbell at scampbell@nvca.on.ca or call 705-424-1479 ext 243.
Funding for this year’s project is provided by the W. Garfield Weston Foundation, WWF’s Loblaw Water Fund, Environment and Climate Change Canada EcoAction program, and the Town of Collingwood.
More information on Phragmites can be found on the NVCA website (www.nvca.on.ca). To report a sighting of Phragmites, contact the Invading Species Hotline at 1-800-563-7711 or use your smartphone to report at www.eddmaps.org/ontario/
