How can invasive plants be used as an ecological scaffold?

Site plan and installation remnant, September 2020. 

Located at a highly visible juncture, this landscape is not unique within Detroit. It is a redundant type of landscape that is present in many neighborhoods across the city.

This perched urban wetland and roadside attraction on Detroit’s east side is more than 30 years old. It is unclear precisely when the tall reed, Phragmites australis, first appeared at this location, although evidence suggests the late 1990s. Currently more than 6800 SF of phragmites is growing here.

Phragmites is a villain in the world of ecology. As a plant, it grows too well, typically suffocating opportunities for other species to intermix, especially along waterways. However, something different is happening here. Partially buried building debris traps water above and below the surface. Minerals in the debris render the water less inviting to the general botanic public. A tall stand of phragmites announces the presence of these remnant materials.

Over the last twenty years, water-loving phragmites has been contained to the rubble footprint. Its presence has allowed for new species of grasses and trees to take root, including native and fruit bearing plants. The long list includes Siberian Elm, Boxelder Maple, Wild Parsnip, Queen Anne’s Lace. This has in turn introduced food and higher quality habitat for pollinators and birds. Consistent mowing around the rubble has enhanced the visual contrast between the ‘lawn’ and the ‘stand.’ Rather than crowding out other species, here the phragmites has provided a platform and built a bridge, welcoming new botanical diversity to this landscape.

Although it is not native, in this location, the phragmites is serving as a scaffold for resiliency.

This landscape is an example of wilderness hiding in plain sight. With its close proximity to higher speed traffic, the phragmites often sways in the wind, the form of the tall reed providing contrast in height and color through all four seasons. Winter here is surprisingly animated and rich. Through all seasons, human interaction remains passive and at the edge.

Despite the prominent visibility of this landscape, it has persisted as the most unchanged and least socially dynamic member of the group. The edges of the phragmites stand continue to accrue new botanical assets, and slowly, over time, additional woody growth and canopy have arrived on site. Although the neighborhood around this location is beginning to redevelop, physical transformation of this landscape due to rapid ecological disturbance or market forces seems unlikely in the near term.