2015 Annual Report
REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
FROM THE BROAD BROOK COALITION (CONTRACT 58-15)
DECEMBER 2015
Goals: The sole objective of this project is the control, and possible elimination, of a stand of
Common Reed (Phragmites australis) within the marsh on Broad Brook north of Cooke's
Pasture in the Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area. Phragmites is an exotic, invasive plant that
threatens not only the ecology of its surrounding habitat but also a site downstream where the
threatened dwarf wedge mussel has been found.
Phtagmites Control: During our successful efforts to control three stands of Phragmites in the
Broad Brook marsh to the east of Cooke's Pasture, a fourth stand of Phragmites was
discovered further downstream in the summer of 2012. A closer inspection by Polatin Ecological
Services (PES) in fall 2013 revealed a high density of the plant covering 0.25-0.50 acres.
Preliminary treatment with the herbicide Rodeo (glyphosate) was carried out at the time, but it
was clear that a more systematic effort would be needed to control Phragmites in this location.
Accordingly, Broad Brook Coalition submitted an expedited request to the Community
Preservation Committee to fund this project in spring 2014 which was subsequently approved.
In the first phase of the project, carried out in July, 2014, a PES crew cut exisiting Phragmites
stems with brush saws to reduce the amount of actively growing plant material on site. In
October 2014, PES applied Rodeo to dense, monotypic portions of the stand with backpack
sprayers. Around the perimeter of the stand, where Phragmites was intermingled with desirable
native vegetation, individual plants were treated with a solution of Rodeo by hand. Inspection of
the Phragmites stand in August 2015 revealed that the previous year's treatment was 80-90%
effective and that there had been very little off-target damage; cattails and other native plants
had repopulated the area. Small patches of resdual Phragmites stalks were hand-wiped with
Rodeo. PES estimates that the level of control should reach >95% as a result of this treatment.
Further herbicide treatment, scheduled for 2016, is expected to eliminate roughly 99% of this
invasive plant from the site.
Plans for 2016
Phragmites re-growth will be treated with Rodeo by PES to achieve further control. Owing to the
low density of residual Phragmites, herbicide will be applied by hand to individual plants.
Expenditures in 2015:
Polatin Ecological Services Budgeted Expended
Treat Phragmites with herbicide 400 400
2014-2016 Budget Summary: Initial Award $ 2,450
Expended, 2014 (1,800)
Expended 2015 (400)
Balance, 12/31/15 $ 250
Robert A. Zimmermann
President
Broad Brook Coalition
Figure 1. Core of herbicide-treated Phragmites stand
has been largely repopulated by cattails. August 2015.
Figure 2. Several patches of residual Phtagmites persisted
among dead stalks from previous treatment. August 2015.
Figure 3. Hand treatment of residual Phragmites. August 2015