RPI and USFWS, along with other industry scientists published an article in the journal Science of The Total Environment entitled “Vegetation recovery in an oil-impacted and burned Phragmites australis tidal freshwater marsh.” In-situ burning of oiled marshes is a cleanup method that can be more effective and less damaging than intrusive manual and mechanical methods. In-situ burning of oil spills has been examined for several coastal marsh types; however, few published data are available for Phragmites australis marshes. Following an estimated 4200 gallon crude oil spill and in-situ burn in a Phragmites tidal freshwater marsh at Delta National Wildlife Refuge (Mississippi River Delta, Louisiana), we examined vegetation impacts and recovery across 3 years.

Read the whole article here:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969717322180

phragmites-australis

Phragmites marsh recovery was examined after an oil spill and in-situ burn