Hi Liz,

Thank you for contacting us through the MSU Ask An expert regarding biocontrol of Phragmites experiments in your classroom. I’ve compiled feedback and advice from several of our extension educators. Bringing Phragmites and the biocontrol into the classroom could prove to be difficult but hopefully the info below will give you some ideas on how to incorporate such research. Biocontrol using non-native species is heavily regulated so use of native species as suggested by Phyllis may be the way to go. There are also several other suggestions of resources and training opportunities.

Educator Phyllis Higman - <personal data hidden> - There has been years of research for phragmites biocontrol and there are tons of rules and regulations regarding such work. I suppose you could do a study using native insects to go through the motions of the kind or research necessary to get a good biocontrol, but if there was one here in the US. There’s a researcher in New York working on biocontrol but I’m not sure where they are at in the process. The USDA has been doing work on inhibiting mycorrhizal associates to disrupt phragmites growth success, but again, I would have to dig up the literature on that - it is a really new approach, however.

Educator Mary Bohling – <personal data hidden> - Michigan Sea Grant (MSG) has a Phragmites classroom lesson using data collected during a recent Lake St. Clair Phragmites removal project. Here are some links to the project and other info that may be helpful for the classroom:

Teaching Great Lakes Science – general  http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/education/teaching-with-great-lakes-science/ and Phrag lesson http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/lessons/lessons/by-broad-concept/life-science/restoring-marshes/

MSG Phrag Fact Sheet - http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/files/2012/11/12-720-phragmites-fact-sheet.pdf

MSG Healthy  Marsh Project Fact Sheet - http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/files/2012/11/12-726-phragmites-education.pdf

MSG Coastal Marsh Beauty - http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/news/2014/02/03/impact-beauty-marsh-michigan-sea-grant-connects-people-wetlands/

Phrag Video - http://www.agreatlakesjewel.org/phragmites/index.php?/

Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative – http://greatlakesphragmites.net/

Local experts who worked on the Lake St. Clair Phragmites Removal & Education Project are Russ terry with Ducks Unlimited (734) <personal data hidden>, Julie Champion with Lake St. Clair Metropark<personal data hidden> <personal data hidden> and Mike Thomas with Michigan DNR<personal data hidden> X23 <personal data hidden>.

Educator Brandon Schroeder –  <personal data hidden> -  We have a couple examples through Center for Great Lakes Literacy (CGLL) and Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative (GLSI) education worlds where Michigan Sea Grant has involved students in invasive phragmites mapping and monitoring. The CGLL supports ‘teachers meet scientist’ trainings centered around Great Lakes Literacy. We have a Lake Huron watershed workshop coming up Aug 8-11 up here in Oscoda (bringing together teachers from SE, Saginaw Bay, and NE MI). GLSI is a statewide place-based education network with which we partner, supporting student involvement, through their learning, in environmental stewardship opportunities. Closest GLSI ‘hub’ to this teacher is probably SE MI Stewardship Coalition or SEMIs facilitated by EMU. Two examples of the MSG work with students and phragmites research are here:

Students promote Lake Huron biodiversity during Charity Island excursion

October 13, 2015 | Au Gres-Sims elementary students team up with Great Lakes scientists to monitor threatened pitcher’s thistle and invasive phragmites plant populations on Charity Island.

Great Lakes science, careers, and environmental stewardship at 4-H Camp

August 25, 2014 | 4-H Great Lakes and Natural Resources Camp campers gain science and career experience while helping to map invasive plants threatening biodiversity within Lake Huron’s coastal wetland habitats.

I would also encourage Liz to participate in the 2015 Lake Huron Place-Based Education teacher workshop this coming summer. Dates and initial details online: http://www.nemiglsi.org/glsitraining.asp?ogt=ev&eid=223

Educator Steve Stewart – <personal data hidden> - Also encourages Liz to participate in the 2016 Great Lakes Conference at MSU and the Great Lakes Education Program for 4th graders. The conference takes place each March on the Michigan State University Campus on the Tuesday of ANR Week. Although no details are up yet, they will eventually be posted at http://anrweek.canr.msu.edu/sessions

I hope this info helps. I’ve included contact info for the contributing educators. Feel free to call any of us if you should have any questions.

 Sincerely,