91���˵���

Phragmites is not as bleak a picture as suggested in the story

To the Expositor:

Thank you for the editorial and the article about invasive phragmites in last week’s paper.

It’s always useful to bring attention to this seriously bad invasive grass and explain how it can damage what we love best about Manitoulin (beautiful shores, fishing, natural habitats, turtle nesting, etc.).
However, I have to tell you that the situation is NOT the bleak picture you painted. We have NOT dumped a big
mess on landowners and municipalities.  

The goal of the Manitoulin Phragmites Project has always been to bring the phragmites infestation down to a
low level that can be kept in check by ordinary people with a small amount of annual maintenance. The plan always was
for the work to become a small seasonal task for everyone--like cleaning out the eavestroughs for landowners or putting
away the picnic tables for municipalities. For a lot of Manitoulin Island, we are arriving at the goal.  Many sites are ready to be
handed back to landowners and volunteers: “Keep an eye on your beach. If anything comes back, get it right away!” Or: “Hey let’s go out on Saturday afternoon and dig up those stalks.” Also, after 10 years of control work, the amount
of phragmites has been greatly reduced. The reason Phragmites Week passed so quietly is that there are no easy places left to hold work bees with the public doing a little hand-cutting in water. All those sites are clear!

Phragmites is always going to be here, from now on. By involving everyone (landowners, municipalities, volunteers, etc.), we
have created a system to ensure Phragmites does not destroy this special island. We have taught hundreds of people to identify
Phragmites and trained dozens of people to control it. It makes sense for landowners to keep an eye on their own place.
Now we’re getting the Island municipalities up to speed on where Phragmites is in their jurisdiction and what can be done.
Shorelines are a municipal responsibility. It makes sense for municipalities to be in charge of what kind of Phragmites work goes on.

Yes, there is still a lot of work to be done, especially in some of the biggest infestations.  Ontario has changed the
way it funds Phrag control, so the local set up to pay for the work is in transition to a new system of funding and administration.
The new set up is called the Manitoulin Island Phragmites Management Area (PMA). The PMA is helping the
municipalities and cottage associations get funding.  Please give us a chance to get that system up and running before you declare Phragmites work has been abandoned.
As for me, I really wish the Expositor would quit telling everyone that I have retired.  People are constantly saying “Judith! Why are you here working? I thought you retired.” Not true. Get your facts straight.
I have handed over to others the writing of grant proposals, hiring the staff, doing the payroll, and calling all the landowners to set up each week’s work. Now, I’m just concentrating on the on-the-ground control work.
See you out there!

Judith Jones

Winter Spider Eco-Consulting

EDITOR’S NOTE: In a February 12, 2025 story ‘Invasive reed proving to be no match for the Manitoulin Phragmites Project,’ Ms. Jones stated, “I’m going to stop being the (Manitoulin Phragmites Project) coordinator; I can’t continue to do 50 hours a week in the summer,” she told The Expositor. “I still love the field work, but not the evenings and weekends doing logistics in the summer. In 2025, the Manitoulin Phragmites Project will wrap up and change into the MI_PMA, with greater partner involvement and Nature Conservancy Canada as the landscape-lead.” In a February 2026 story, ‘Phragmites Project reports banner 2025,’ it is noted by this newspaper that “Ms. Jones is stepping down as administrator of the Manitoulin Phragmites Project working group, but will be working as a phrag contractor.” “The Nature Conservancy of Canada and Manitoulin Streams Improvement Association (MSIA) will be coordinating the project, looking for funding sources and take on the organization of the project,” Ms. Jones said on the article. “I will still be around working as a Phrag coordinator. The work will continue!” The Expositor stands by its work and its “straight facts” and thanks Ms. Jones for all her work in her myriad capacities.