Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework – Active Adaptive Management
Non-native Phragmites australis (Common Reed) has become established across the Great Lakes basin, outcompeting native plants and degrading natural habitats. Phragmites is managed using a variety of resource-intensive techniques, yet effectiveness of treatment may vary due to infestation level, application methods, environmental conditions, or other factors. With the goal to reduce uncertainty in treatment outcomes, the Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative formed the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF), an adaptive management and collective learning program. PAMF partners with managers who collect Phragmites monitoring and treatment data on a yearly basis to inform the PAMF predictive model, which in turn provides managers with data-driven, site-specific management guidance for the following year. After 5 years of operation, PAMF is expanding to target its ‘most-wanted’ management actions, or those with little previously submitted data, using active adaptive management. Intentional implementation of the less used management combinations in PAMF will accelerate model learning and progress toward data-driven best management practices.
The Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) is an adaptive management program led by the Great Lakes Commission and assisted by the USGS Great Lakes Science Center and the University of Georgia that relies on participatory data from Phragmites managers throughout the Great Lakes basin. PAMF is designed to learn from the management actions of participating managers through a standardized data collection and submission process. The PAMF predictive model is run annually in August and structured to learn about the efficacy and efficiency of 10 management actions combined into 16 unique management combinations. These combinations are timing specific, with one management combination implemented during each of the three biological phases of Phragmites (translocation phase in the late summer-fall, dormant phase in the winter and early spring, and growing phase in the late spring-summer).
In return for the data that participants submit, the PAMF model provides participants with predictive guidance on specific management combinations that are most likely to maximize efficiency and efficacy for each unit enrolled and active over the next 12 months. This iterative process repeats annually, and the model improves with each subsequent cycle. The management guidance informed by data will continue to reduce the uncertainty surrounding management outcomes, eventually leading to improved best management practices for Phragmites management across the Great Lakes and beyond.
More full data packages are needed to accelerate model learning. Out of the 16 management combinations that PAMF tracks, 8 combinations (as of 2022) have been identified by the model as priority combinations (listed in order of biological phase: translocating, dormant, growing) for which we seek additional data, including:
- Imazapyr, Rest (do nothing), Rest
- Cut underwater, Rest, Cut underwater
- Spading, Rest, Spading
- Glyphosate, Remove biomass, Rest
- Glyphosate, Rest, Glyphosate
- Glyphosate, Pre-flood clearing, Flood
- Glyphosate, Flood, Flood
- Rest, Pre-flood clearing, Flood
To reduce the uncertainty on the above management combinations, the Great Lakes Commission seeks to provide funding to Phragmites managers participating in PAMF who are planning to implement the priority combinations. Funding requirements for applicants and additional details are forthcoming.
The Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative (GLPC), coordinated by the Great Lakes Commission, acts as the umbrella organization through which PAMF is administered and promotes the value of PAMF through its Common Agenda. The GLPC continues to support the program, encourage involvement, and share lessons learned throughout the greater Phragmites community.
This project is part of the USGS Great Lakes Science Center’s wetlands research. Visit our page Innovative Approaches for Wetland Restoration and Invasive Species Management to learn about more collaborative research projects.
Non-native Phragmites australis (Common Reed) has become established across the Great Lakes basin, outcompeting native plants and degrading natural habitats. Phragmites is managed using a variety of resource-intensive techniques, yet effectiveness of treatment may vary due to infestation level, application methods, environmental conditions, or other factors. With the goal to reduce uncertainty in treatment outcomes, the Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative formed the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF), an adaptive management and collective learning program. PAMF partners with managers who collect Phragmites monitoring and treatment data on a yearly basis to inform the PAMF predictive model, which in turn provides managers with data-driven, site-specific management guidance for the following year. After 5 years of operation, PAMF is expanding to target its ‘most-wanted’ management actions, or those with little previously submitted data, using active adaptive management. Intentional implementation of the less used management combinations in PAMF will accelerate model learning and progress toward data-driven best management practices.
The Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) is an adaptive management program led by the Great Lakes Commission and assisted by the USGS Great Lakes Science Center and the University of Georgia that relies on participatory data from Phragmites managers throughout the Great Lakes basin. PAMF is designed to learn from the management actions of participating managers through a standardized data collection and submission process. The PAMF predictive model is run annually in August and structured to learn about the efficacy and efficiency of 10 management actions combined into 16 unique management combinations. These combinations are timing specific, with one management combination implemented during each of the three biological phases of Phragmites (translocation phase in the late summer-fall, dormant phase in the winter and early spring, and growing phase in the late spring-summer).
In return for the data that participants submit, the PAMF model provides participants with predictive guidance on specific management combinations that are most likely to maximize efficiency and efficacy for each unit enrolled and active over the next 12 months. This iterative process repeats annually, and the model improves with each subsequent cycle. The management guidance informed by data will continue to reduce the uncertainty surrounding management outcomes, eventually leading to improved best management practices for Phragmites management across the Great Lakes and beyond.
More full data packages are needed to accelerate model learning. Out of the 16 management combinations that PAMF tracks, 8 combinations (as of 2022) have been identified by the model as priority combinations (listed in order of biological phase: translocating, dormant, growing) for which we seek additional data, including:
- Imazapyr, Rest (do nothing), Rest
- Cut underwater, Rest, Cut underwater
- Spading, Rest, Spading
- Glyphosate, Remove biomass, Rest
- Glyphosate, Rest, Glyphosate
- Glyphosate, Pre-flood clearing, Flood
- Glyphosate, Flood, Flood
- Rest, Pre-flood clearing, Flood
To reduce the uncertainty on the above management combinations, the Great Lakes Commission seeks to provide funding to Phragmites managers participating in PAMF who are planning to implement the priority combinations. Funding requirements for applicants and additional details are forthcoming.
The Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative (GLPC), coordinated by the Great Lakes Commission, acts as the umbrella organization through which PAMF is administered and promotes the value of PAMF through its Common Agenda. The GLPC continues to support the program, encourage involvement, and share lessons learned throughout the greater Phragmites community.
This project is part of the USGS Great Lakes Science Center’s wetlands research. Visit our page Innovative Approaches for Wetland Restoration and Invasive Species Management to learn about more collaborative research projects.