[Cob] Cob: RE: Phragmites thatch

[Amanda Peck]

Hmmmm.  I'm the official pass-through person!

(sounds like a good reason to harvest them before they set seed--as in if we 
all put thatched roofs on at least one building, the invasive little 
monsters would go away)

''''''''''''''''''''''''
Michael Schenk <schenkmj at earthlink.net>
Reply-To: Michael Schenk <schenkmj at earthlink.net>
To: ap615 at hotmail.com
Subject: Phragmites thatch
Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2006 11:38:55 -0500 (GMT-05:00)



****************
Re: Phragmites thatch

The word phragmites in this post set off alarm bells.  There is a phragmites 
reed
which is a major invasive pest of estuaries here in the Mid-Atlantic.  It 
actually
destroys salt marshes by replacing native plants, then causing dry land to 
form
around its root systems.  It's often spread by hunters thatching duck blinds 
with
it.  If the reed bundles were gathered late in the season, they likely 
contain seed.

There are some native phragmites which may not be a problem, but  I would 
exercise
caution in dealing with this reed genus.

I'm not trying to be critical of anyone, just erring on the side of caution.

Some informational links:

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/ieplists.html
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/phrag.asp
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/coastalbays/res_protect/ccmp_fw.html


Best regards,
Mike