The expanding stands of Phragmites australis (non-native) are reducing nesting/foraging habitat for migrating waterfowl and shorebirds as well as choking out biological diversity within the native plant community. The thick monoculture stands do not promote the appropriate plant and invertebrate communities required by waterbirds to meet critical life cycle events. Over the last 10 years, the refuge has been applying a treatment train of methods with some success but the area to be treated is too large to be effective. The refuge is limited by personnel and marsh equipment to control this invasive plant without additional support.

Phragmites stands have rapidly invaded and expanded across the refuge wetlands after the 1980's saltwater flooding event that killed numerous freshwater plant species and left open, disturbed ground. The overarching objective of Phragmites control at the refuge is not to completely eradicate the species, as this would require intense resources and expense. Rather, the objective is to reduce the extent of monotypic stands that have invaded Refuge wetland habitats. Therefore, common reed will be considered a management problem if the stand(s) occupy >20 % of the total wet acres in a unit. In the future, this threshold may be changed based on the rate of success after several years of treatment strategies.

The threats and risks are loss of wetland habitat and loss of public use, particularly for recreational activities such as hunting. As has been witnessed at neighboring UT WMA's, quality wetland habitat within the Great Salt Lake ecosystem cannot be restored without direct management strategies. Human intervention is necessary to boost native plant communities and over time will promote the appropriate plant and invertebrate communities that are required by waterbirds to meet critical life cycle events. Recreational activities such as hunting and bird watching will improve as the tall, dense stands of phragmites are reduced.

This project is in direct support of the refuge's Invasive Species Management Plan. The objectives are 1) Reduce amount of area occupied by Phragmites to < 20% of total area in each wetland management unit by 2031. 2) Reduce amount of area occupied by Phragmites along water delivery canals and wetland dikes to < 10% of linear area by 2031. This is also in direct support of the refuge's Habitat Management Plan (HMP) and refuge's resources of concern, such as white-faced ibis, cinnamon teal, tundra swan as well as migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. Goal #1 in the HMP is to "restore and manage Bear River deltaic wetland habitats and river corridor units...to provide migration and breeding habitat for a diversity of waterfowl, wading birds and shorebirds".

Phragmites form dense monotypic stands that can be 12-14 ft tall. These stands hold very high levels of dead (litter) and living biomass that can produce extremely hot, fast moving, and tall flame lengths if ignition occurs. With many of these wetland areas surrounded by urban and rural structures, the threat of fire and the potential for neighboring structure damage is high. Reducing the cover of Phragmites through this project will greatly reduce the threat and risks of fire damage within the refuge and adjacent properties.

Due to the plant's high biomass, Phragmites evapotranspiration is higher than most native plant species. Reducing the percentage of Phragmites within management units will help improve water quantity to the GSL. Phragmites also accretes soil and litter at much higher rates than most native plants. Rapid soil accretion, high amounts of litter, and very high density of stems, alters water distributions reducing downstream flow and, in some cases, resulting in loss of wetland habitat further downstream. Slower flows also will result in increased evaporation.

The refuge follows the NEPA process and documentation according to State and National Discharge of Pesticide Permitting process.

The refuge considers this a multiyear plan and will require a long-term commitment to be effective and successful. However, staff and other resources are limited and hence the request for additional support. Phragmites as with any noxious weed control effort will take multiple years to achieve an acceptable level of containment goals. The vast acreage of Phragmites at the 76,000-acre refuge requires an organized plan to effectively treat each year's designated acreage, then additional two years of follow up treatment. Thus, each treated management unit will require at least a three-year commitment; initial and two follow up treatments. Treatment with the herbicide glyphosate (Rodeo) will be applied aerially and the refuge would like to supplement this with additional ground treatment by track equipment capable of moving through the marshes. Current refuge control strategies include cattle grazing young and mid-year growth, herbicide application of 2% Glyphosate in the fall period, (August-October), and prescribed burning in the fall or late winter. An aquatic surfactant (2 quarts/100 gallons) is mixed with herbicide. Fall treatment has been found to be most effective, as this is the period when the plant has stopped active stem growth and is instead translocating nutrients to the rhizomes. The upper half of the plant is targeted for spraying to cover the largest surface area. Herbicide application is followed up by a prescribed burn, when feasible. Aerial herbicide treatment is used as an initial treatment when feasible, but are limited by expense and time. It can take a pilot 3-4 days to treat 1900 acres. To cover more acres, the refuge would like to supplement their Phragmites management with additional ground treatment by lightweight track vehicles that are semi amphibious. Grazing is considered a treatment strategy as cattle are placed within infested units during prime growing season to reduce plant growth, reduce seed head formation and trample the rhizomes. Most of the Great Salt Lake land managers have successfully used this treatment, especially where it is difficult to conduct prescribed burning (vicinity to highways and high population areas).

The refuge has permitted and will continue to work with USU in studying treatment effectiveness and returning native plant communities. Research from USU has identified strategies that prove treatment efficiency and effectiveness (for both large and small patches), strategies to improve native seed germination, and strategies to help improve Phragmites grazing program. We are also planning to attempt bulrush planting from stock within the GSL watershed. Monitoring will include germination rates, abiotic factors that affect seed germination and seedling survival, and look at what type of litter removal works best (mowing, trampling, or complete removal of litter). The refuge will compile data on vegetation transects and photo-points of some treated areas for at least three years. The refuge also monitors bird populations on all of the WMA's during monthly or twice a month bird counts.

Current partners include Utah State University (USU), DWR, Box Elder County, Forestry Fire and State Lands (FFSL), private duck clubs, Delta Waterfowl, and Wasatch Wigeons. Although not all these partners contribute direct funds for this project, these agencies and groups are contributing to the treatment and reduction of Phragmites on their respective properties. Also, many of these partners contribute volunteer hours during treatment implementation. Multi-agency and adjacent/upstream treatments are imperative due to Phragmites wind and water dispersal. All agencies support this proposed project. Collaboration with these partners pertaining to treatment effectiveness, treatment locations, and strategies has been very beneficial.

This is a multi-year project that will only be successful with continued efforts. The refuge would like to apply the same management strategies DWR has applied since 2006 as their efforts have seen successful containment of Phragmites in their management units. After a few years of intense management, refuge activities would shift to a more routine weed maintenance effort within the refuge units. Collaboration with researchers will continue to stay current with Phragmites management and strategies that will improve ecosystem function. During the efforts in the UT WMAs, there has been an effort to educate other agencies, local cities, organizations and private landowners on how to treat Phragmites and the need to do so within the entire drainage area of the Great Salt Lake. The refuge plans to continue these efforts and partnerships in order to enhance and preserve the wetland ecosystem around the GSL.

The refuge has several Habitat Management Plan projects over the next 5 years that should help to control Phragmites by restoring natural hydrology (sheet flow) and avoid impounding water within these units. This should reduce the need in the future to use expensive treatments, such as herbicide application. The refuge also plans to use cattle to help control and contain dense stands of Phragmites. Grazing is utilized in areas that become drought stressed in the fall and are unsuitable for chemical application, as well as in areas that reduce seed head formation. Some cattle are also being used in areas that have gone through the 3-year chemical treatment cycle (such as via aerial or roadside application) to control the remaining stands of Phragmites.

09/26/2022

09/29/2022

2023

The WRI contractor mobilized their marsh master equipment and sprayed herbicide on 430 acres (most of the acres estimated). They finished this project before the refuge's deadline of opening hunt season. When monitoring this site the next growing season, it showed a remarkable difference from the previous year and any new growth was stunted. There were native plants growing in areas that had little phragmites leaf litter covering the ground, so the combination of burning and spraying increased plant diversity, even in one year of treatment.

This project is in direct support of the refuge's Invasive Species Management Plan. The objectives are 1) Reduce amount of area occupied by Phragmites to < 20% of total area in each wetland management unit by 2031. 2) Reduce amount of area occupied by Phragmites along water delivery canals and wetland dikes to < 10% of linear area by 2031. This is also in direct support of the refuge's Habitat Management Plan (HMP) and refuge's resources of concern, such as white-faced ibis, cinnamon teal, tundra swan as well as migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. Goal #1 in the HMP is to "restore and manage Bear River deltaic wetland habitats and river corridor units...to provide migration and breeding habitat for a diversity of waterfowl, wading birds and shorebirds".

This project is part of a multi-year plan that will only be successful with continued efforts. The refuge will monitor this area annually via satellite and ground methods. We plan to apply intense treatment via herbicide again each year until Phragmites is dominating at 20% or less. After a few years of intense management, refuge activities would shift to a more routine weed maintenance effort within this and other refuge units.