this Marsh if you were here 150 years ago it was like a patchwork of all
ago it was like a patchwork of all
ago it was like a patchwork of all different kinds of micro environments
different kinds of micro environments
different kinds of micro environments and you had sedges and a few bushes and
and you had sedges and a few bushes and
and you had sedges and a few bushes and some Phragmites and some spartina and
some Phragmites and some spartina and
some Phragmites and some spartina and just really a dozen different major
just really a dozen different major
just really a dozen different major species and in the last hundred years
species and in the last hundred years
species and in the last hundred years it’s become essentially a monoculture
it’s become essentially a monoculture
it’s become essentially a monoculture over 90% of the surface is covered by
over 90% of the surface is covered by
over 90% of the surface is covered by one plant a species called Phragmites
one plant a species called Phragmites
one plant a species called Phragmites Australis which is simply common read
for some reason this northern european
for some reason this northern european subspecies that came in to Connecticut
subspecies that came in to Connecticut
subspecies that came in to Connecticut about 200 years ago has just taken off
about 200 years ago has just taken off
about 200 years ago has just taken off up and down the east coast from Maine to
up and down the east coast from Maine to
up and down the east coast from Maine to Florida
Phragmites can hold like the waste and
Phragmites can hold like the waste and stuff but too much of it it’s not needed
stuff but too much of it it’s not needed
stuff but too much of it it’s not needed especially where like you have other
especially where like you have other
especially where like you have other native plants that are trying to go and
native plants that are trying to go and
native plants that are trying to go and smell to sigh carbo the central issue
smell to sigh carbo the central issue
smell to sigh carbo the central issue with this invasive is that it disrupts
with this invasive is that it disrupts
with this invasive is that it disrupts the balance that is at the heart of the
the balance that is at the heart of the
the balance that is at the heart of the existing food chain and can often lead
existing food chain and can often lead
existing food chain and can often lead to a tremendous loss in biodiversity
what got me involved in the marsh was
what got me involved in the marsh was working with these kids it’s going out
working with these kids it’s going out
working with these kids it’s going out every which way but what came out of
every which way but what came out of
every which way but what came out of that has been a 10-year ecological study
that has been a 10-year ecological study
that has been a 10-year ecological study of the marsh that is really unique in
of the marsh that is really unique in
of the marsh that is really unique in terms of how much real data it’s
terms of how much real data it’s
terms of how much real data it’s produced and we’ve had some discoveries
produced and we’ve had some discoveries
produced and we’ve had some discoveries about the extent to which the marsh has
about the extent to which the marsh has
about the extent to which the marsh has become a monoculture agriculturally and
become a monoculture agriculturally and
become a monoculture agriculturally and the extent to which we’ve really seen a
the extent to which we’ve really seen a
the extent to which we’ve really seen a loss in diversity in the fish species as
loss in diversity in the fish species as
loss in diversity in the fish species as a result there’s been a big controversy
a result there’s been a big controversy
a result there’s been a big controversy in the last year-plus
in the last year-plus
in the last year-plus in Piermont about whether to try to
in Piermont about whether to try to
in Piermont about whether to try to remediate this invasive plant and if so
remediate this invasive plant and if so
remediate this invasive plant and if so how
the cost-effective solution is to spray
the cost-effective solution is to spray with a chemical a lot of people are
with a chemical a lot of people are
with a chemical a lot of people are opposed so what this summer is trying to
opposed so what this summer is trying to
opposed so what this summer is trying to look at non-chemical ways to help to
look at non-chemical ways to help to
look at non-chemical ways to help to manage the fragmentation so the idea
manage the fragmentation so the idea
manage the fragmentation so the idea that we’re working on is if you roll
that we’re working on is if you roll
that we’re working on is if you roll black plastic out over this thing we
black plastic out over this thing we
black plastic out over this thing we think we can get the sub surface hot
think we can get the sub surface hot
think we can get the sub surface hot enough to actually kill the frag roots
enough to actually kill the frag roots
enough to actually kill the frag roots by heat it all just did
by heat it all just did
by heat it all just did there shoots angry for angry frag Mike
there shoots angry for angry frag Mike
there shoots angry for angry frag Mike not a fight the sample still intact
not a fight the sample still intact
not a fight the sample still intact one two here we go the way we started
one two here we go the way we started
one two here we go the way we started with our experiment was we collected
with our experiment was we collected
with our experiment was we collected rising samples from different plots that
rising samples from different plots that
rising samples from different plots that we had brought them back to the lab to
we had brought them back to the lab to
we had brought them back to the lab to boil them at different temperatures and
boil them at different temperatures and
boil them at different temperatures and they stood there for 24 hours just to
they stood there for 24 hours just to
they stood there for 24 hours just to determine how we can customize them
determine how we can customize them
determine how we can customize them which is a route to kill off frag jargon
which is a route to kill off frag jargon
which is a route to kill off frag jargon I think this was like provolone we
I think this was like provolone we
I think this was like provolone we planted them again today to figure out
planted them again today to figure out
planted them again today to figure out how do they grow a little spider get
how do they grow a little spider get
how do they grow a little spider get away but most of them are pretty dead by
away but most of them are pretty dead by
away but most of them are pretty dead by now so a doubt there girl this plant is
now so a doubt there girl this plant is
now so a doubt there girl this plant is not a monster this plants not an evil
not a monster this plants not an evil
not a monster this plants not an evil thing it’s a very productive plant it
thing it’s a very productive plant it
thing it’s a very productive plant it provides some important ecosystem
provides some important ecosystem
provides some important ecosystem services
services
services it is sequestering carbon it is holding
it is sequestering carbon it is holding
it is sequestering carbon it is holding the marsh together it is keeping up with
the marsh together it is keeping up with
the marsh together it is keeping up with sea level rise it is providing a home to
sea level rise it is providing a home to
sea level rise it is providing a home to muskrats but you have to at the same
muskrats but you have to at the same
muskrats but you have to at the same time have a perspective on what’s been
time have a perspective on what’s been
time have a perspective on what’s been lost
this is not something you’re going to
this is not something you’re going to fix in a year or ten it’s all up and
fix in a year or ten it’s all up and
fix in a year or ten it’s all up and down the coast it is going to reinvade a
down the coast it is going to reinvade a
down the coast it is going to reinvade a number of times and unless you create
number of times and unless you create
number of times and unless you create the human infrastructure required for
the human infrastructure required for
the human infrastructure required for that kind of long-term management then
that kind of long-term management then
that kind of long-term management then you really haven’t done much
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