County Commissioners Will Vote On Eradication Ordinance Thursday
EMMET COUNTY, MI -- Leaders of The Tip of the Mitt say if the problem is ignored, it will be a matter of public concern.
The Watershed Council says Phragmites will grow exponentially and colonize the Emmet County shoreline if left unchecked.
"The problem with Phragmites is they'll basically colonize the shoreline and crop everything else out," says Grenetta Thomassee of the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council.
Thomassee says Phragmites can quickly spiral out of control. This invasive plant will literally take over the shoreline and change the landscape of the ecosystem.
"Being able to eradicate an invasive species is very difficult, but you can stay on top of it, you can absolutely control it, and what we're hoping to do in Emmet County is just that," said Thomassee.
It will come down to the County Commissioners Thursday night. They will decide whether or not to move forward and implement an ordinance to support the control and begin the eradication of Phragmites. If passed, the county will apply for a permit to begin eradication of the species in the fall. And this year, the process would be no cost to residents or the taxpayers because of available grant money.
"We want to get on top of it here to make sure they never have an opportunity to really colonize a solid area of shoreline," said Thomassee.
Phragmites can grow to be 15 feet tall. Last year, Lake Charlevoix Association noticed that Phragmites was becoming a problem, so they began the eradication process with the proper use of permit.
Sue Topham works at Young State Park and showed me one area that Phragmites controlled last summer. Last fall, a herbicide treatment was used in affected areas of Lake Charlevoix to kill it off. In the winter, the stalks and seeds were cut down and burned. She says it's helped tremendously.
“Two years of intense treatment will help get the large stands, and then after that, it'll be a maintenance situation," said Topham.
But Thomassee says the main concerns of some commissioners are the chemicals used. This issue could determine whether or not the ordinance is passed.
Property owners in Emmet County would ultimately have the final sign-off if the ordinance passes.
