A two-phase plan to eradicate phragmites along Sarnia's Howard Watson Nature Trail starts Monday, April 24.
A local contractor has been hired to spot cut and grind the invasive perennial grass in the area between Michigan Rd. and Exmouth St.
Sarnia Manager of Parks, Forestry and Horticulture Patti Ross say the area has a high concentration of phragmites that has been problematic with fires in the past.
"The intention is to close that piece of the trail for the time that it takes, could be up to three days, from 8am to 4pm," says Ross. "That's to allow people to be on the trail for evenings or early morning walks. There will also be a spotter there, to ensure that the public does not get close, because obviously there's other places to enter the trail. They'll have signage 600 feet or yards out on both sides where they're working, for safety reasons."
Ross says phase two involves spraying the affected areas with pesticide in early summer and the public will be notified again when that work is set to commence.
She says the city budgeted $30,000 toward phragmites eradication this year.
"That includes Canatara Park as well, which we will be attempting later this summer but that's a different plan," says Ross. "Each area has to be evaluated. There's different ways of doing it. This is a process. I need to be clear on that. This funding is not going to fix the problem this year, we're probably looking at a five year process -- minimum."
Both projects have received approval from the Ministry of Natural Resources.
