Phragmites australis

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As I mentioned in my mini-FAQ post, the state of the wetlands near Hastings Drive are a disgrace: "That is why we are shocked and appalled at the management of the Big Creek Marsh by the Canadian Wildlife Service.  Phragmites australis has invaded the whole of the marsh – when I was a child one could see open water – but now it is nothing but a green desert. Research the devastating effects of phragmites.  We care, and we are the stewards of our land.  We can manage it better than anyone else."

 Hastings Drive is right below the Big Creek National Wildlife Area (map of Big Creek NWA). These wetlands are in terrible shape, being choked out by the invasive phragmites.  How bad is it?  Nothing can live there (other than phragmites).  Other bad things about phragmites: visual obstruction as it can grow up to 18 feet tall; recreational impacts as the reeds are not passable by animal or human; it's a serious fire hazard; and so on according to this factsheet from USFWS. 

 Many of our opponents say they do not want us to rebuild our cottage on Hastings Drive because of the negative impact that our actions would have, being close to wetlands, species at risk, etc.  I am telling you, the biodiversity on Hastings Drive has nose-dived over the past few decades, and that sad fact has absolutely nothing to do with us.  

 If we were allowed to be stewards of our own land we would do a much better job than has been done down there so far, I can assure you.

 It's so bad now that we doubt the CWS can do much of anything to save this other than burning the marsh 2-3 years in a row to get at the deep roots of phragmites, or laying on industrial-strength herbicides to nuke the invasive plants, and that may not even work.

 Maybe they should READ this handy dandy reference guide put out by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (3rd edition): A Guide to the Control and Management of Invasive Phragmites

 Instead of dealing with this huge environmental disaster --decades in the making, which they've allowed to happen-- they've built a spanking new $2.3 million headquarters in the marsh, after having dumped several long tons of clay from who knows where, in there first.  Environmentally sensitive wetlands, you know.

 The salient point here: clean up your own backyard first before you cast aspersions at your would-be neighbours.

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