Invasive Phragmites Science: Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative and the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework
Broad coordination is required to overcome large-scale regional challenges such as controlling a persistent invasive plant like Phragmites. Individual management actions may have local impact, but their implementation can be inefficient and landscape-scale impacts are limited. The highly successful Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative builds collaboration and facilitates communication on a regional level using an adaptive management approach that includes a common agenda and goals to maximize impact and investment. The Collaborative promotes network building among managers, governmental agencies, private landowners, and scientists and serves as a resource center for information on Phragmites management and research. This work is made possible by investments from the US Environmental Protection Agency's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Since its formation in 2012, the Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative (GLPC) has served as a communication hub via an interactive website (GreatLakesPhragmites.net), a webinar series, an automated email group, and social media to facilitate access to information and resources. The site links to or describes many products, including plant identification tools, over 50 webinars and symposium presentations, a 750+ member automated email group, a weekly newsletter, management case studies, and a map of Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas. The GLPC has a steering committee, advisory committee, and working groups of professionals organized by topic (management, research, communication, etc.) who are guiding the development of products and projects.
The GLPC responded to partner and stakeholder needs by developing the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) that aims to improve Phragmites management at local and regional scales, increase management effectiveness and efficiency, and reduce treatment uncertainty. The PAMF program is relatively early in its implementation but has already generated significant outputs and outcomes. As of 2022, over 147 participants from 8 states and 1 province have enrolled 276 management units in the program since it started in 2017. Over 500 sets of data-driven management guidance have been distributed to participants. More participants are joining each year as visibility to the program increases and the value of data-driven management guidance is realized. To learn more about PAMF, view our short videos on the participation cycle, the PAMF predictive model, and rationale for the program. As of 2023, PAMF is expanding to target specific management actions; see our page about PAMF – Active Adaptive Management.
This project is part of the USGS Great Lakes Science Center’s wetlands research. Visit our page Innovative Approaches for Wetland Restoration and Invasive Species Management to learn about more collaborative research projects.
Broad coordination is required to overcome large-scale regional challenges such as controlling a persistent invasive plant like Phragmites. Individual management actions may have local impact, but their implementation can be inefficient and landscape-scale impacts are limited. The highly successful Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative builds collaboration and facilitates communication on a regional level using an adaptive management approach that includes a common agenda and goals to maximize impact and investment. The Collaborative promotes network building among managers, governmental agencies, private landowners, and scientists and serves as a resource center for information on Phragmites management and research. This work is made possible by investments from the US Environmental Protection Agency's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Since its formation in 2012, the Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative (GLPC) has served as a communication hub via an interactive website (GreatLakesPhragmites.net), a webinar series, an automated email group, and social media to facilitate access to information and resources. The site links to or describes many products, including plant identification tools, over 50 webinars and symposium presentations, a 750+ member automated email group, a weekly newsletter, management case studies, and a map of Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas. The GLPC has a steering committee, advisory committee, and working groups of professionals organized by topic (management, research, communication, etc.) who are guiding the development of products and projects.
The GLPC responded to partner and stakeholder needs by developing the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) that aims to improve Phragmites management at local and regional scales, increase management effectiveness and efficiency, and reduce treatment uncertainty. The PAMF program is relatively early in its implementation but has already generated significant outputs and outcomes. As of 2022, over 147 participants from 8 states and 1 province have enrolled 276 management units in the program since it started in 2017. Over 500 sets of data-driven management guidance have been distributed to participants. More participants are joining each year as visibility to the program increases and the value of data-driven management guidance is realized. To learn more about PAMF, view our short videos on the participation cycle, the PAMF predictive model, and rationale for the program. As of 2023, PAMF is expanding to target specific management actions; see our page about PAMF – Active Adaptive Management.
This project is part of the USGS Great Lakes Science Center’s wetlands research. Visit our page Innovative Approaches for Wetland Restoration and Invasive Species Management to learn about more collaborative research projects.