MOREHEAD CITY — The Topsail Nature Preserve will temporarily close for invasive plant treatment the morning of Oct. 7.
The preserve, its beaches and parking lot will all be unavailable to the public while a contractor onsite uses herbicides to control the invasive common reeds in the area. The cleanup is part of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management’s work to enhance and protect the preserve after the agency was given stewardship of the land earlier this year.
Common reeds are a vigorous, invasive plant that can crowd out native vegetation. It spreads through both seeds and underground stems, making it difficult to get rid of once it’s taken root. 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 herbicide application will only take a few hours, and the preserve is expected to reopen the same day. Though the herbicides will only be sprayed inside the preserve, administrators ask people not to come to the park, beach or parking lot to avoid disruption and ensure public safety.
An announcement will be made on NCDEQ’s Facebook page when the preserve has reopened.
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