Topsail Nature Preserve reopens following invasive plant treatment

The Topsail Nature Preserve has reopened to the public following the completion of herbicide treatment to control the highly invasive Common Reed (Phragmites australis). The treatment has been completed and visitors may now safely return to the Preserve and its beach areas.  

The Preserve, including its beaches and parking lot, temporarily closed earlier today while a licensed herbicide contractor conducted treatment in the interior of the property.  

The herbicide was applied by drone, allowing for a precise, targeted application to the Phragmites while minimizing impacts to surrounding vegetation. The drone can operate at a low altitude over the treatment area, allowing the applicator to maximize contact with the targeted Phragmites and minimize the potential for off-target application.Using a drone also avoids the potential environmental disturbance associated with bringing heavy equipment into the treatment area. 

Two Phragmites patches, each approximately 1.5 acres in size, were treated, for a total treatment area of approximately three acres.  

The treatment areas are isolated Phragmites patches located in swales between dune ridges in the interior of the Preserve. There is no surface-water connection between the treatment areas and Banks Channel, New Topsail Inlet or other tidal waters. 

Phragmites is a vigorous, non-native plant that can form dense stands and crowd out native vegetation. Treating the infestation will help prevent its further spread and protect the Preserve’s native coastal ecosystem.  

Because of the plant’s aggressive growth and the size of the infestation at the Preserve, herbicide treatment is the most practical method for controlling it. The application was conducted by a licensed herbicide contractor in accordance with herbicide label requirements approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

Treating the infestation now will help prevent further spread of Phragmites and protect the native coastal ecosystem at Topsail Nature Preserve. 

Management of the Topsail Nature Preserve was transferred to the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management (DCM) earlier this year. The treatment is part of DCM’s ongoing stewardship of the property and efforts to protect and enhance its native coastal habitat.

DCM will inspect the site following treatment to evaluate the effectiveness of the application against the targeted Phragmites and assess any impacts to adjacent native vegetation. Because Phragmites is a resilient invasive species, follow-up spot treatments using a backpack sprayer may be necessary next year.