Ontario Invests $5 Million to Combat Invasive Phragmites
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The provincial government is targeting a destructive Eurasian plant that threatens biodiversity and recreational spaces across Ontario's wetlands.
The Ontario government has announced a $5 million investment into the Invasive Phragmites Control Fund to stop the spread of *Phragmites australis*, an invasive plant originally from Eurasia, as BlogTO first reported. According to the report, the species has heavily infested sheltered bay coastlines and coastal wetlands throughout the province.
The plant is particularly damaging to local ecology because it releases toxins from its roots into the soil, which kills surrounding vegetation and reduces plant biodiversity. BlogTO reports that the species can grow up to five metres tall, forming dense clusters of as many as 200 stems per square metre. Beyond ecological damage, Ontario's Invading Species Awareness Program notes that the plant increases fire hazards due to high volumes of dead stalks and interferes with angling, boating, and swimming.
Minister of Natural Resources Mike Harris stated that the investment is intended to protect biodiversity and preserve outdoor spaces. The province expects the funding to support 119 projects and nearly 200 local jobs. One of the specific beneficiaries mentioned by BlogTO is the Town of Pelham, which will use the funds to treat stormwater management ponds.
Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Natural Resources Dawn Gallagher Murphy noted that phragmites are among Ontario's most destructive invasive plants, posing a threat to natural heritage and shorelines.