On March 11, 2026, the Great Lakes Commission released a request for proposals to advance the regional fight against invasive Phragmites, one of the most aggressive plant species invading North America. Currently, invasive Phragmites is managed using a suite of approaches, including herbicide, cutting, crushing, flooding, and burning. These actions are resource intensive and differ in effectiveness due to site-specific conditions and other variables.
Through this grant program, which is supported with funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, groups can apply for funding to implement specific combinations of approaches on which data is lacking, helping to improve future guidance. Over the first two grant cycles, 124 units and more than 185 total acres have been managed, and nine different management combinations have been implemented. Proposals will be accepted through April 15, 2026.
To learn more, read the full press release on the GLC’s website: Request for Proposals: Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework Small Grants