Perth County has received $25,000 in provincial funding to combat invasive species.
The funding was distributed through the provincial government's 2026 Invasive Phragmites Control Fund (IPCF), and will specifically go toward combatting invasive phragmites.
This money, which follows up on a successful pilot project in 2025, will allow Perth County staff to expand a collaborative, county-wide initiative to identify, map, and manage invasive phragmites along local roads.
The county partnered earlier in 2026 with all lower-tier municipalities to map infestations of invasive phragmites along municipal rights-of-way, resulting in the targeted treatment of more than 350 sites.
"Invasive phragmites is recognized as Canada's most damaging invasive plant species. This aggressive perennial grass can grow up to five metres tall and forms dense stands that choke out native vegetation and destroy wildlife habitats. Beyond environmental damage, phragmites pose significant infrastructure risks: it impedes roadside drainage, encroaches upon driver sightlines, increases wildfire hazards, interferes with agricultural operations, and drives up long-term maintenance costs for municipalities," a statement on the Perth County website shared.
"This grant from the Invasive Phragmites Control Fund is incredibly valuable and enables the municipalities to pair provincial investment with the local knowledge and skills present within our County and municipal public works operations. Working together toward this shared environmental goal of invasive species reduction allows us to build a more resilient infrastructure network and protect our natural roadsides more effectively," said Hannah Cann, Resiliency and Stewardship Coordinator for Perth County.
