EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT IN THE UPPER GREAT MARSH: Emergent Phragmites australis EME Source: Massachusetts Audubon Society RGENT PHRAGMITES AUSTRALIS: EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT IN THE UP PREPARED FOR: EIGHT TOWNS & THE BAY/MERRIMACK VALLEY PLANNING COMMISSION PROVIDED BY: JENNA RINGELHEIM GINA FILOSA LAUREN BAUMANN JAY ASTLE TUFTS UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF URBAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND PLANNING MAY 2005 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the many people that shared their knowledge and expertise with us through the course of this project. Peter Phippen - Eight Towns and the Bay John Larsen, Molly Mead, Rusty Russell, and Kelley Whitmore – Tufts University Barbara Blumeris and Mike Tuttle – Army Corps of Engineers Jay Baker, Bruce Carlisle, and Hunt Durey – Coastal Zone Management Paul Capotosto – Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Wildlife Division Geoff Walker – Ducks Unlimited Tim Purinton and Robert Buchsbaum – Massachusetts Audubon Society Jim Straub – Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Susan Antenen, Karen Lombard, and Jess Murray – The Nature Conservancy Jack Card, Jr. – Northeast Mosquito Control and Wetlands Management District Geoff Wilson – Northeast Wetlands Restoration Frank Drauszewski and Janet Kennedy – Parker River Wildlife Refuge While we received much assistance in the preparation of this report, any errors, omissions, or mischaracterizations remain the sole responsibility of the authors. This report is the result of a joint project administered by the Department of Urban and Environmental Planning at Tufts University and Eight Towns and the Bay/Merrimack Valley Planning Commission. May 3, 2005 Jenna Ringelheim Gina Filosa Lauren Baumann Jay Astle TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY……………………………………………………..……. 1 SECTION 1: THE PROJECT Project Summary……………………………………………………….......... 3 Eight Towns and the Bay………………………………………………….... 3 Tufts University……………………………………………………………… 4 SECTION 2: AN INTRODUCTION TO PHRAGMITES AUSTRALIS Basic Biology………………………………………………………………... 5 Effects of Phragmites australis on Ecosystem Health………………….….. 7 SECTION 3: THE GREAT MARSH Geography………………………………………………………………….… 7 Salt Marsh Ecology………………………………………………………..... 10 Salt Marsh Hydrology……………………………………………………….. 12 Land Use ……………………………………………………………………. 16 SECTION 4: LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS Eight Towns and the Bay……………………………………………………. 23 Essex County Greenbelt Association………………………………………... 24 Great Marsh Initiative……………………………………………………...... 25 Jackson Estuarine Laboratory (University of New Hampshire). …………………………………………… 25 Massachusetts Audubon Society………………………………………..…... 26 Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management/ Office of Coastal Zone Management………………………………….......... 27 Parker River Clean Water Association…………………………………….... 28 The Trustees of Reservations…………………………………………….…. 29 US Army Corps of Engineers – New England District………………….…. 29 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service…………………………………….…….….. 30 Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory…………………………..…….. 30 SECTION 5: CASE STUDIES OF PHRAGMITES MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL Chesapeake Bay………………………………………………………..…… 31 Sandy Neck Management Plan……………………………………..………. 33 Kampoosa Bog………………………………………………..…………….. 34 SECTION 6: RECOMMENDATIONS Immediate Action…………………………………………………..……….. 36 Data Collection Actions…………………………………………..……….... 36 Control and/or Reduction Actions………………………………..……..…… 42 Institutional Actions……………………………………………..………...... 44 Appendices: A: Institutional Review Board (IRB) Documentation & MOU IRB Approval Interview Questions Memorandum of Understanding B: Funding Opportunities C: Increased Staffing Options D: Cornell University Phragmites australis Diagnostic Service Instructions E: Annotated Bibliography EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Great Marsh is considered to be a relatively healthy salt marsh ecosystem that has been protected from many of the stresses degrading other Atlantic coastal marsh regions. Yet one of the biggest threats to the biodiversity and natural productivity of marshes continues to spread in the Great Marsh. The non-native and highly invasive wetland plant Phragmites australis (common reed) has long populated the marsh, but until recently, its range had been tempered by the healthy ecosystem. In 2004, local residents and stakeholders of the marsh observed the existence of juvenile shoots in previously uninhabited open marsh areas, a cause for concern as Phragmites can quickly crowd out native vegetation and destroy the diversity and function of the local ecosystem. A number of stakeholders, including state and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, academic institutions, and citizen groups have conducted extensive research on the Great Marsh ecosystem. Despite this fact, comprehensive data collection is still needed to determine the degree to which changes in natural hydrology, pollution, and coastal development contribute to Phragmites introduction and expansion within this region. The invasive nature of Phragmites and its ability to modify the ecosystem to perpetuate its own survival require that these plant populations in the Great Marsh be closely monitored and effectively managed. Recommendations to Eight Towns and The Bay for evaluating and managing Phragmites australis include: 1. Immediate Action Remove emergent juvenile Phragmites australis shoots 2. Data Collection Actions Generate a map of existing Phragmites stand locations Establish a comprehensive monitoring program Prioritize a list of Phragmites stands for control and/or reduction 3. Control and Reduction Actions Mechanically reduce and/or remove Phragmites stands in conjunction with other control methods 4. Institutional Actions Organize institutional coordination Establish volunteer programs Promote land owner and resident participation The Great Marsh contains the largest expanse of coastal salt marsh in New England. For more than 400 years, it has provided diverse habitat and, for area residents, recreational and economic resources. The region’s traditional industries such as fishing, shellfishing, and farming, as well tourism and recreation, are all dependent upon the health of the Great Marsh ecosystem. As such, it is imperative that degradation to this vital resource is minimized so that future generations may enjoy its benefits in the years to come. SECTION 1: THE PROJECT Project Summary The observation of invasive juvenile Phragmites australis stands by local stakeholders in the open marsh of the Newbury portion of the Upper Great Marsh in the 2004 has lead to concern for the ecological status of the marsh. In a proactive attempt to investigate the cause of these stands and the actions necessary to address them, Eight Towns and the Bay (8T&B) initiated a project to be undertaken by the Tufts University Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning (UEP). The project aim was to evaluate and determine action strategies for management of Phragmites in the Newbury portion of the Upper Great Marsh. Under the direction of 8T&B, the Tufts UEP team reviewed available literature and data sources and interviewed local stakeholders to develop a more complete understanding of the factors that contribute to Phragmites establishment and expansion. Using this information, the team produced an action plan that will provide 8T&B with a solid base upon which a full management plan can be built. This report also includes an annotated bibliography to accommodate further research needs in establishing the long-term plan. Eight Towns and the Bay Eight Towns and the Bay (8T&B) is the upper North Shore Local Governance Committee for the Massachusetts Bays Program and works closely with the communities of Salisbury, Amesbury, Newburyport, Newbury, Rowley, Ipswich, Essex, Rockport, and Gloucester. The coalition includes representatives from each of these towns, as well as educators, state and local officials, nonprofit organizations, and interested citizens that are dedicated to the protection of the coastal waters and watersheds on the upper North Shore of Massachusetts Bay. Eight Towns and the Bay works with local communities to foster stewardship of the coastal resources by heightening public awareness of solutions to pollution problems, providing technical assistance, and supporting local research and education projects. Tufts University The Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning (UEP) Masters degree program at Tufts University challenges its graduates to incorporate the social, economic, and natural resource issues of communities into planning solutions. The program emphasizes the role of nonprofit and community-based organizations in achieving this goal. An important aspect of this education is the required core course, Field Projects: Planning and Practice. The course provides an opportunity for students to combine theory and practice through their consulting work on substantive issues affecting the community. Student teams undertake extensive research and practical planning projects for the duration of the semester. Each team, consisting of three to four students, is assigned to a project within their area of interest. SECTION 2: AN INTRODUCTION TO PHRAGMITES AUSTRALIS Basic Biology Phragmites australis, or common reed, is a perennial rhizomatous grass found widely distributed on every continent except Antarctica (Marks et al., 1993). There are three biological factors that enable Phragmites to flourish in Newbury and elsewhere in the world. First, Phragmites has a unique ability to withstand a vast range