Pretty but dangerous

URI invasives expert studies a problematic plant

Kristen Curry

While fires can be caused for a variety of reasons, manmade
and natural, invasive phragmites, like these in Charlestown,
sometimes pose an overlooked risk. (URI Photos / Laura Meyerson)

Laura Meyerson was stepping through a marsh on the Housatonic River in Connecticut on a picture-perfect day as a young graduate student, when an offhand remark changed her whole outlook on the landscape in front of her.

Meyerson was observing a beautiful scenic outlook overlooking cattails. Then her professor made a comment that stopped her in her tracks. He pointed out that the scene was pretty, but that the nearby invasive reeds were going to wipe out the native muskrats. The day became a turning point in her career.

“I knew then I wanted to study this plant species,” Meyerson recalls.

Meyerson, today a professor of natural resources science at the University of Rhode Island, would like to see other New Englanders recognize the ubiquitous plant known as Phragmites australis growing by roadways and ponds for what it is.

Meyerson’s research on invasive species is global in nature, taking her to Iceland this fall. After getting her Ph.D., Meyerson worked in biosecurity for the Environmental Protection Agency and consulted with Homeland Security on pathogens that could cripple the U.S. food supply. She has served on the U.S. National Invasive Species Council Advisory Committee, is co-editor for the journal Biological Invasions, and has conducted research on invasive species at the Smithsonian Institution.

Meyerson finds many reasons to be concerned about invasive species. The fire risk posed by phragmites is just one. She says that while local fire departments are aware of the plant’s risk, those living or working near large stands of the plants may not be.

Risky reeds

Introduced phragmites (pronounced frag-mite-eez) was first detected in the U.S. in the 1800s, but it’s a historic plant dating to biblical times that grows on every continent except Antarctica.

For invasive introduced phragmites in the Northeast U.S., where the species is now widespread, this process begins in March. They don’t die back until October or even November, later than many native species. When they do, the dead stems remain standing for a couple of years, decomposing slowly and creating a dry flammable wrack layer.

“You end up with dead standing stems with highly flammable seed heads,” Meyerson says, “which float up in a fire, plus a thick flammable layer of wrack. It is quite incredible. They can catch like fire bombs.”

The stems have a high lignin and silica content, meaning they are fire-resistant to boot. Basically, they are torches waiting for a match.

“They are just ready to burn when droughts happen,” Meyerson says.

Events like the 2023 wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii, fueled by non-native grasses and strong wind, have increased public awareness of their dangers.

But most of the time, as people see invasive species all over the place, they become a part of the landscape, often viewed as a normal part of nature — when in fact they are not. This phenomenon is known as “shifting baseline syndrome,” Meyerson says. If a plant has been here in the U.S. for hundreds of years, you assume it was always there.

Phragmites at Fenway

If Meyerson can’t stop seeing phragmites now, the same could be true for more of us.

Invasive phragmites are all over our North American landscape, dotting New England and beyond. Larkin Pond near URI has them; Block Island, too. They even took over a vacant lot next to Fenway Park, standing 20 feet tall, an unwelcome green monster.

Meyerson says there have been many efforts locally to eradicate the fast-growing plant between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. She points to a successful eradication project in Galilee led by URI’s Frank Golet, a national leader in wetland management, restoring the saltmarsh at the Point Judith causeway. Sometimes, pesticides are needed for eradication, as was the case at South Kingstown’s Moonstone Beach.

From the East Coast, phragmites have moved across the country and are now an issue in the Great Lakes, the West Coast, and the southeastern U.S., disrupting waterways in Louisiana, Texas and elsewhere. At this point, eradication may be impossible, but the species should be managed or controlled.

“It’s one of the world’s most successful plant species,” Meyerson says, to the detriment of native plants. And yes, those Connecticut muskrats, which were pushed out of their river home all those years ago.

What can Rhode Islanders do, besides advocating for support for their nearest wetlands and increasing their awareness of these invasive neighbors? Meyerson recommends buying and planting native plants.

“Check the status of the plants you buy,” she says. “It’s easy to plant native; URI’s Master Gardeners and the Rhode Island Natural History Survey have a wealth of information they can share.”

Other tips she offers:

• Manage invasive plants, like bittersweet and invasive knotweed, around your home.
• Be careful of pesticides and herbicides, which harm genetic diversity and resistance. Always read the label carefully and use them responsibly.
• Talk to your neighbors about what you see in your yard and use an app like iNaturalist to identify and report invasive species.
• If you find an invasive in your yard, pull it, double bag it in plastic, and send it to the dump; don’t toss it somewhere where it will continue to grow.
• If you plan to control phragmites on your property, be sure to get the right permit from the Coastal Resources Management Council and consult an expert. Verify that it is the invasive introduced variety and not a native plant to protect.

“Most of all, don’t give up,” Meyerson says. “Controlling invasive species can take time, but patience pays off in the end. These are little things, but they matter.”