In the Weeds
With ambitious plans for both its shoreline and downtown, Port Clinton is on the rise. But, before Mayor Vincent Leone can bring new life to the lakefront, he first must battle the plant that is trying to destroy it.
Port Clinton, on the shores of Lake Erie, has no problem attracting visitors.
The city has become a summer destination, with nearby wineries, campgrounds and ferry service to the islands. In fact, it’s part of the region in Ohio that’s come to be called “Vacationland.”
But it also attracts unwelcome visitors — invasive species that populate the lake and lakefront. Everyone knows about Asian carp and algal blooms. But there’s another threat that most people overlook — the giant reeds, called phragmites, that grow out of marshes and wetlands. Phragmites can grow more than 15 feet above the surface and send their roots 8 feet into the ground. The reeds quickly choke out other plants in an ecosystem and are easily transported to other locations by migratory birds.
“It’s not like you can cut them down and they’ll go away,” says Port Clinton Mayor Vince Leone. “[It is] such an invasive species.”
The 1,250 feet of Port Clinton shoreline between the public beach and Water Works Park is part of the Port Clinton Lakefront Preserve, established in 2010. More than $1.4 million — largely from preservation grants — was spent to buy up the land from 25 owners, totaling 14.7 acres. The problem is, the land is a haven for phragmites.
“It’s taken over the entire shoreline,” says Leone. “And if we don’t work on that, it will choke out the whole ecosystem.”
That’s no small fear in Port Clinton, where tourism — including nature-related tourism, like fishing and birdwatching — is a big industry. According to an economic impact report from Lake Erie Shores & Islands, $346 million was spent in 2013 on tourism in Ottawa County, which annually hosts the Biggest Week in American Birding festival. “Every year we have a lot of folks coming from not only around the country but around the world to see the birds,” Leone says.
With so much on the line, the phragmites had to go. The city formed a partnership with the Ottawa Soil and Water Conservation District and came up with a plan to attack the weed.
The phragmites, which go dormant in the winter, began growing in early March. The city started spraying glyphosate in the spring and will continue follow-up applications throughout the growing season. The city also does controlled burns, a common step in dealing with phragmites, but Leone says that’s just a partial solution. “Not to say it doesn’t work, because it does, but it’s just burning off the surface,” Leone says. “The roots are so deep,” up to 8 feet.
The Ottawa Soil and Water Conservation District also is helping the city mow and maintain its wetlands. “As an organization, we’ve treated thousands of acres, but this is the most high-profile,” says district program administrator Mike Libben.
John Pogacnik, a biologist for Lake Metroparks in Lake County, Ohio, says the weed can never be truly eradicated.
“It can be controlled, but it will continue to show up,” he says. “The biggest threat is to the large marsh complexes in western Lake Erie. It has the capability of taking over the entire marsh. It’s frightening how fast it spreads.”
Leone says the next step in the process is trying to reintroduce plants that the phragmites have forced out of the preserve, like the cattail and cottonwood.
Meanwhile, the city is still considering what to do with Water Works Park, the 13.8-acre plot along the lake, once the phragmites are gone. Washington Properties presented plans for a $60 million lodge that will include retail, residential and marina space. However, a ballot initiative passed last November mandates that any sale or lease of the park has to be approved by voters (see sidebar).
Downtown Port Clinton is undergoing a $6 million facelift with water and sewer line replacements, as well as improvements to streets and sidewalks. Leone says he wants to avoid the trap of treating development like a zero-sum game, competing with other lakefront towns in Ohio.
“Port Clinton has such a great uniqueness, and we need to focus on that, and what our identity is,” Leone says. “We’re one piece of the puzzle, and we need to polish ourselves — and we’re doing that — and work together.”
Phragmites at Home
While phragmites along public land on Lake Erie shoreline are being tackled by municipalities, counties and even the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the weeds also grow on private property — and should be addressed.
“On a small scale, you can definitely handle it,” says Mike Libben, district program administrator for the Ottawa Soil and Water Conservation District in Oak Harbor, Ohio. “Persistence is key.”
Libben says the biggest obstacle to eliminating phragmites is just being able to get to them. They often grow on the water’s edge, where it’s more difficult to treat them.
He recommended spraying with any commercial herbicide containing glyphosate that’s approved for aquatic use, as well as regular mowing of the plant. “Even something as simple as taking your weed whacker and trimming it down yourself works,” he says.
The important part, Libben stresses, is regular treatment of the phragmites to get them to go away. “What we’ve done works,” he says. “But the problem is that the plant is everywhere. It’s an ongoing battle.”
The Development Debate
The vision presented by Washington Properties for Port Clinton’s lakefront includes a $66 million, mixed-use development featuring shops, residences and a lodge and conference center. However, a citizens group called Citizens Organized for Responsible Development formed in opposition to that plan and successfully placed on the ballot an initiative, which passed in November, requiring a vote on any sale or lease of the park.
Rick Noderer, a group spokesman, says Water Works Park should remain as a park.
“We want Water Works Park to become a showplace park, meaning that it’s a place that all of the residents can use and feel wonderful about using it and having it in their city,” he says. “And also a place where visitors can see what a wonderful park that is and tell others how wonderful the park is.
“Commercial development doesn’t seem in our minds a responsible thing.”
Leone says talks are continuing with Washington Properties to determine the best course of action for the park, but he stresses that, even if development occurs, the waterfront will remain open to the public. He noted that the Washington Properties development would take up only about 15 percent of the land.
“We don’t want to take away from the preserve and the shoreline and the things that make Port Clinton unique,” Leone says. “We wanted to create a good balance while not creating competition with downtown. We wanted it to be complementary.”
The city has become a summer destination, with nearby wineries, campgrounds and ferry service to the islands. In fact, it’s part of the region in Ohio that’s come to be called “Vacationland.”
But it also attracts unwelcome visitors — invasive species that populate the lake and lakefront. Everyone knows about Asian carp and algal blooms. But there’s another threat that most people overlook — the giant reeds, called phragmites, that grow out of marshes and wetlands. Phragmites can grow more than 15 feet above the surface and send their roots 8 feet into the ground. The reeds quickly choke out other plants in an ecosystem and are easily transported to other locations by migratory birds.
“It’s not like you can cut them down and they’ll go away,” says Port Clinton Mayor Vince Leone. “[It is] such an invasive species.”
The 1,250 feet of Port Clinton shoreline between the public beach and Water Works Park is part of the Port Clinton Lakefront Preserve, established in 2010. More than $1.4 million — largely from preservation grants — was spent to buy up the land from 25 owners, totaling 14.7 acres. The problem is, the land is a haven for phragmites.
“It’s taken over the entire shoreline,” says Leone. “And if we don’t work on that, it will choke out the whole ecosystem.”
That’s no small fear in Port Clinton, where tourism — including nature-related tourism, like fishing and birdwatching — is a big industry. According to an economic impact report from Lake Erie Shores & Islands, $346 million was spent in 2013 on tourism in Ottawa County, which annually hosts the Biggest Week in American Birding festival. “Every year we have a lot of folks coming from not only around the country but around the world to see the birds,” Leone says.
With so much on the line, the phragmites had to go. The city formed a partnership with the Ottawa Soil and Water Conservation District and came up with a plan to attack the weed.
The phragmites, which go dormant in the winter, began growing in early March. The city started spraying glyphosate in the spring and will continue follow-up applications throughout the growing season. The city also does controlled burns, a common step in dealing with phragmites, but Leone says that’s just a partial solution. “Not to say it doesn’t work, because it does, but it’s just burning off the surface,” Leone says. “The roots are so deep,” up to 8 feet.
The Ottawa Soil and Water Conservation District also is helping the city mow and maintain its wetlands. “As an organization, we’ve treated thousands of acres, but this is the most high-profile,” says district program administrator Mike Libben.
John Pogacnik, a biologist for Lake Metroparks in Lake County, Ohio, says the weed can never be truly eradicated.
“It can be controlled, but it will continue to show up,” he says. “The biggest threat is to the large marsh complexes in western Lake Erie. It has the capability of taking over the entire marsh. It’s frightening how fast it spreads.”
Leone says the next step in the process is trying to reintroduce plants that the phragmites have forced out of the preserve, like the cattail and cottonwood.
Meanwhile, the city is still considering what to do with Water Works Park, the 13.8-acre plot along the lake, once the phragmites are gone. Washington Properties presented plans for a $60 million lodge that will include retail, residential and marina space. However, a ballot initiative passed last November mandates that any sale or lease of the park has to be approved by voters (see sidebar).
Downtown Port Clinton is undergoing a $6 million facelift with water and sewer line replacements, as well as improvements to streets and sidewalks. Leone says he wants to avoid the trap of treating development like a zero-sum game, competing with other lakefront towns in Ohio.
“Port Clinton has such a great uniqueness, and we need to focus on that, and what our identity is,” Leone says. “We’re one piece of the puzzle, and we need to polish ourselves — and we’re doing that — and work together.”
Phragmites at Home
While phragmites along public land on Lake Erie shoreline are being tackled by municipalities, counties and even the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the weeds also grow on private property — and should be addressed.
“On a small scale, you can definitely handle it,” says Mike Libben, district program administrator for the Ottawa Soil and Water Conservation District in Oak Harbor, Ohio. “Persistence is key.”
Libben says the biggest obstacle to eliminating phragmites is just being able to get to them. They often grow on the water’s edge, where it’s more difficult to treat them.
He recommended spraying with any commercial herbicide containing glyphosate that’s approved for aquatic use, as well as regular mowing of the plant. “Even something as simple as taking your weed whacker and trimming it down yourself works,” he says.
The important part, Libben stresses, is regular treatment of the phragmites to get them to go away. “What we’ve done works,” he says. “But the problem is that the plant is everywhere. It’s an ongoing battle.”
The Development Debate
The vision presented by Washington Properties for Port Clinton’s lakefront includes a $66 million, mixed-use development featuring shops, residences and a lodge and conference center. However, a citizens group called Citizens Organized for Responsible Development formed in opposition to that plan and successfully placed on the ballot an initiative, which passed in November, requiring a vote on any sale or lease of the park.
Rick Noderer, a group spokesman, says Water Works Park should remain as a park.
“We want Water Works Park to become a showplace park, meaning that it’s a place that all of the residents can use and feel wonderful about using it and having it in their city,” he says. “And also a place where visitors can see what a wonderful park that is and tell others how wonderful the park is.
“Commercial development doesn’t seem in our minds a responsible thing.”
Leone says talks are continuing with Washington Properties to determine the best course of action for the park, but he stresses that, even if development occurs, the waterfront will remain open to the public. He noted that the Washington Properties development would take up only about 15 percent of the land.
“We don’t want to take away from the preserve and the shoreline and the things that make Port Clinton unique,” Leone says. “We wanted to create a good balance while not creating competition with downtown. We wanted it to be complementary.”