On
one very cold day in February of 2002, I had the opportunity to visit and learn
about the distinct 'phragmites' (or phrag) population that exists in Annapolis
Royal. My tour guide was Jef Auchenbach - the phrag man.Phrag…can't live with it…can't kill it.
(Lesley Carter)
We have a fragile relationship with 'Phragmites australis'. On one hand, it is a beautiful willowy plant whose roots filter dangerous metals and toxins from the water, and soil and whose historical significance goes back to the Acadians. On the other hand, it is a highly invasive plant that once it takes root in an area, it quickly out-competes all other plant species. The environment it then creates is so inhospitable, that even birds and animals refuse to inhabit its groves.
On
one very cold day in February of 2002, I had the opportunity to visit and learn
about the distinct 'phragmites' (or phrag) population that exists in Annapolis
Royal. My tour guide was Jef Auchenbach - the phrag man.
Jef contacted the Fundy Forum because he wants to spread the word on phrag. Jef has a well pronounced "love/hate" relationship with the tall reed, which he has a hard time concealing. His "split personality" bounces back and forth between warmly explaining the Acadian history that surrounds the reed and its historical uses as a roofing material in Acadian times, to ardently professing a need to control the weed before it does any more destruction to our natural habitat.
We have all unknowingly seen phrag growing in the ditches beside the highway, or perhaps around the perimeter of a marsh, fervently out-competing the cattails. At first glance, it is a beautiful site, with its tall fronds blowing together in the wind, but then a closer look reveals that this stuff is everywhere - there is rarely a small patch of phrag, only a patch that hasn't spread yet.
In Nova Scotia, it is most prominent in Annapolis Royal, where it is known as Elephant Grass. Jef informs me that this is the only place where it is called Elephant Grass, and that this name is linked to the circus coming to town by train in the 1940's and 50's, and that this is where the elephants bedded down.
Jef and I began our tour at a café in Annapolis (did I mention that it was the coldest day Annapolis had this year with the wind chill?) where Jef provided me with background on the reed, began to explain its complex history, and how he become interested in the plant. Then, we were off to visit some reed stands.
Before I met with Jef, I was unsure about what exactly phragmites was. It wasn't until he said that it is locally known as Elephant Grass, that I understood. I grew up in the Annapolis Valley, and my family camped in Digby in the summer, so every weekend we would drive the old number 1 Highway from Middleton, where we would pass by the Elephant Grass stand along the railway tracks behind Charlie's Restaurant in Annapolis Royal. My mother was a florist and she would always point out the grass, remarking on its beauty and sometimes would even be brave enough to stop and cut a bouquet to take home (we were under the impression that the grass was protected - this made Jef laugh).
Our first phrag stand was
across from the fire station. I had never noticed it here before. Jef tells
me that this is the future site of a new Duck's Unlimited waterfowl pond (their
second attempt in Annapolis Royal). He wonders if the Duck's Unlimited people
are familiar with phrag. We notice that we are not alone on this cold day, and
I take a picture of the fox walking around the perimeter of the phrag forest.
I am amazed at how tall the grass is - over 7 ft tall. 
Jef
tells me that this location has never been cut, so it would be considered old
growth. He then shows me where he and his partner have cut another portion of
the stand, and how you can tell by the difference in the plant height. They
are cutting the phrag in order to thatch roofs (I will come back to this).
Next, we wanted to warm up, so Jef drove me by the home of a man who thought it might be nice to have some phrag around his fishpond. When we got there, the pond had been filled in, and all you could see were the spiky stocks of phrag sticking out of the lawn (trust me…you wouldn't want to walk over cut phrag in your barefeet). The phrag had quickly overtook the pond environment and spread over his lawn. In an attempt to eradicate the grass he was forced to fill in the pond, and mow the phrag down. You could tell even on this blustery cold day though, that the phrag was not going to be easily dismissed, and that it would be back in the summer.
We then went to visit a
local gift shop, where the storeowner has a bail of phrag with the heads still
on displayed outside. The grass is a different species of phragmites called
LadyFingers, and was collected by Jef in Cheticamp. 
While
we sit on the benches outside the store admiring the grass and enjoying the
shelter from the wind, Jef reveals to me his master plan. He shows me some pictures
of harvesters that he has been developing to cut down and bind phrag automatically.
Their original attempt at using a scythe was too labour intensive and not very
productive. He wants to thatch roofs on homes and tells me that in Britain and
Europe, thatched homes are a luxury only afforded by the wealthy. He shows me
the cadillac of harvesters in a brochure from Germany. I tell him that he reminds
me of Flick the Inventor (from Disney's Bugs Life). He has never seen the movie,
but laughs and tells me that when he gets his harvester he will call it Flick's
Harvester.
Next, we go to visit the phrag stand behind Charlie's Restaurant…this is where the elephants used to sleep. I am amazed to see that some of the fronds here are over 10 feet tall. This stand borders the old Acadian dykes and it is remarkable to view this amazing feat of architecture up close. The stand carefully rims the water, as it is susceptible to salt water. Jef reminds me though, that just when you think you have figured out phrag, it fools you, and points to a patch that is standing directly in the salt water.
Our final stop is the Annapolis
Royal Historical Gardens. Here is where Flick, oops I mean Jef, first got bitten
by the phragmites bug. Jef used to be a caretaker at the Gardens when they were
building their Acadian cottage. At the time, they used planks to roof the structure,
and Jef got permission to use the phragmites that surrounds the gardens to thatch
the roof. 
He
knew the Acadians used to thatch their roofs and believed that it would be a
much more feasible scenario than envisioning the Acadians going through the
labour intensive job of sawing planks, when they couldn't be insulated anyway.
He takes me inside the cottage and up into the rafters to view the thatching
close up. He says it is pretty rough because it was his first time. I think
it looks amazing, and I am shocked about how warm it is in the attic.
Next, we sit on the porch of the Acadian cottage looking out over the dykes, and we imagine the life of the Acadian's. Jef recounts that the British used to believe the Acadian children to be lazy, as they were always frolicking and playing. But with all the innovations that their parents had, like using dykes to water their fertile crops, and roofing their buildings with a heat efficient and readily available reed, the children had the opportunity to enjoy being a kid.
As Jef then drops me off to meet my ride, with my bail of phrag in hand (which now adorns my front porch in Halifax) I can't help but think about how much I have learned today. When I started this journey, I knew little more about phragmites than it made pretty flower arrangements. Now I feel that I have been indoctrinated into this phragmites society where people have accepted the good and evil that is associated with this plant. Its historical significance is overwhelming, but must be taken in stride with the devastating effect the invader can have on an environment.
So if you are ever in Annapolis Royal look up Jef. He will gladly take you on the tour of phragmites, and explain to you his relationship with this complicated plant. If you are lucky, he might even have Flick's Harvester, and be able to give you a demonstration. And definitely visit the Historical Gardens and view the thatched Acadian cottage. Jef, between his numerous trips to the US to talk phrag, is planning for the Port Royal 400th Acadian celebrations in 2005, where there will be an Acadian cottage complete with thatched roof where visitors can stay overnight.
Some interesting phrag facts.
In Britain, several years back, there was a crash to the phragmites crop which lead to panic among the roof thatching world. There people were investigating how to keep their phrag alive while in the North America, we were trying to figure out how to kill it.
The land surrounding nuclear power plants in Salem, New Jersey (owned by PSE&G who gained fame from the Erin Brockovich movie), Seabrook, New Hampshire, and Gentilly, Quebec are totally devoid of life, except for vast fields of phragmites. It is believed that the roots of the plant filter toxins from the soil and water and that if anything happened to this population the toxins would be released back into the environment.
Phragmites populations exist where there were Acadian settlements - coincidence? In N.S., the grass grows in the Acadian settlements of Cobequid, Beausejour, Tatamagouche, and Cheticamp (ladyfinger country); it grows on Alphonse Comeau- as well as Port Royal. The marshes of Masstown, Tantramar and the Medway estuary have some, too, among others, like Shubie canal, and Mt. Uniacke.
Some other Gulf of Maine phrag patches: On the US side, they start at Cape Cod and are found at least every five miles to the point on the Maine coast east of Portland where the marshes quit and the rocks begin. In New Brunswick, St. Steven has a patch and there is a bit on the road in Pennfield.
Phragmites is not easily destroyed. Fire has little effect but to destroy the top growth and allow a fresh start. A solution of glyphosphates (roundup) injected into the base of the spine will destroy the rhizomes but each frond has to be done separately.
Thatched roofs are less flammable than oil based asphalt roofing. Sylvia Yeomans of Annapolis Royal, tells of US soldiers flicking cigarette butts on her family home's reed roof in Annapolis Royal throughout WWII. They never did light the roof that way…that roof was 80-90 years old on a cob house built in the 1300's.
Jef has got several letters of interest from US scientists interested in Flick's Harvester.
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