ELIZABETH
CITY STATE UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Faculty
Research Assistants
Links
Department
of Geological, Environmental and Marine Sciences Remote
Sensing Lab
Mapping and Monitoring Project
Phragmites australis
Project
Need: Research, map, and monitor the colonization of Phragmities
australis in the marshes of Kitty Hawk Woods, a North Carolina Coastal
Research Reserve.
Project Objective:
- Map Phragmities australis in the Kitty Hawk Woods marshes using Trimble GeoExplorer GPS and aerial photography (scale 1:800).
- Survey native plant species in the marsh throughout the four seasons.
Research Team:
ECSU - Project Leader: Heather Allen, Research Assistants: Emma Sawyer, Matt Woolard, Reginald Bazemore
North Carolina Estuarine Research - Michelle Droszcz, Northern Sites Manager, Kyle Hall - Research Technician
Milestones:
- Mapping marshes of Kitty Hawk Woods began in the spring 2003.
- Completion report and PowerPoint presentation September 2003.
- Restoration project
began October 2003.
Background:
Phragmites australis,
also known as common reed, is an 
invasive
marsh grass that thrives in disturbed or polluted soils along roadsides,
ditches and dredged areas. It can range in height from three to thirteen
feet, and forms dense stands that invade wetland communities. P. australis
provides little food or shelter for wildlife and fish, and prevents native
plant species, such as Spartina cynosuroides, to develop.
Materials and Methods:
- Tarkle Creek Marsh
(15 ACRES) was surveyed and native species identified and catalogued.
Very little P. australis was present there. - Significant patches of Phragmites were identified and mapped using GPS in Kitty Hawk Landing Marsh, a 90 acre marsh to the north of Tarkle Creek.
- The restoration project will set up six plots at the northwest section of the marsh, which had a significant number of Phragmities.
- Rebar was placed
around each patch of Phragmites.
In each plot a different method of removing the marsh grass was used. - The latitude and longitude coordinates of the individual patches were mapped using a Trimble GeoExplorer 3.
- A sign was posted
informing the residents of Kitty Hawk Landing about Phragmites and
the removal methods used.
Results:
After a year has
passed, the most effective removal method will be used to remove Phragmites
in the rest of the Kitty Hawk Landing Marsh. Native marsh plants will
be planted and the ninety
-acre
marsh will be monitored to see if the Phragmites grows back and
how well the native plants compete with the invasive marsh grasses.
Acknowledgements:
Funding for these project
s: NOAA's Environmental Entrepreneurship Program, Albermale Pamlico National Estuarine Program, and the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management.
