Facilitating Adaptive Management of non-native Phragmites australis in Wisconsin

Non-native populations of the common reed, Phragmites australis, have aggressively invaded shorelines and wetlands across the Great Lakes, including in northeast Wisconsin. Dense stands of Phragmites negatively affect the biodiversity and ecological functions of invaded habitats, impair the recreational use of wetlands and shorelines, decrease property values, and increase fire risk.

Effectively managing invasive species such as Phragmites is a high priority for habitat and wetland restoration.

Our goal is to transform local, short-term efforts into an adaptive management framework that eventually will lead to sustained, cost-effective control of Phragmites in this region.

The Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative and PAMF

The Great Lakes Commision is an organization, composed of the U.S states and Canadian provinces around the Great Lakes and St. Lawerence River Basin, that works to promote the collective interests and responsibilities of its members to promote the economic prosperity and environmental protection of the Great Lakes water resouces.

The Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative, under the Great Lakes Commision, deals specifically with phragmites in the Great Lakes area. The Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) is the tool that the Collaborative uses to manage Phragmites data and advise landowners on its management. The UWGB Phragmites Project has partnered with PAMF to add to its database and utilize the managment procedures for Phragmites on land throughout the Green Bay Area of Concern. Learn more about PAMF and the Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative below.