Photo by presenter, Annie D’Alton, of Phragmites she harvested on Nichols Pond
FREE LUNCHTIME WEBINAR
Manual Phragmites Control – A Pilot Study at Nichols Pond
February 17, 2026
12pm – 1pm
Phragmites australis, or Common Reed, is a non-native, highly invasive, prohibited wetland grass found throughout Vermont. It dominates wetlands and destroys biodiversity by forming dense monocultures. It spreads rapidly, clogging drainage ditches, crowding out native species, and degrading habitats. It creates dense stands that hinder wildlife movement, particularly for turtles, frogs and fish. The reeds grow up to 15 feet and spread by underground rhizomes that are difficult to manage.
In this webinar, you will learn about non-herbicide hand-harvesting methods which have had some success in the Great Lakes region and are now being tested in a pilot study here in Vermont at Nichols Pond.
Annie D’Alton will be the presenter. She is an avid amateur botanist, citizen scientist, and volunteer with the Lake Champlain Committee Cyanobacteria and Aquatic Invasive Species monitoring programs. She learned about these control methods in Northern Woodlands magazine, Summer issue, 2024.
This free webinar is a virtual event open to the public but you must register to receive the link. Register HERE.
The Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds is a volunteer coalition of lake associations and individuals. From its inception in 1972 as an organization of lake associations in northern Vermont to its evolution into a statewide organization in 2001, the Federation remains dedicated to fostering water quality standards and preserving Vermont lakes, ponds, watersheds, and aquatic ecosystems for this and future generations.
For more information about Aquatic Invasive Species, learn more here.
