Cattail (Typha spp.) Harvesting in Manitoba: A legislative and market analysis for operationalization and carbon emission offsets

The report analyzes the potential for scaling up cattail harvesting in Manitoba, identifying it as a viable biomass source for bioenergy and a tool for reducing nutrient loading in Lake Winnipeg. It finds a current lack of explicit legislation for cattail harvesting and proposes two management scenarios: one emphasizing private benefits (modeled on wild rice harvesting) and another emphasizing public benefits (funded through contracts and incentives). The analysis also explores carbon offset opportunities, suggesting that while national and provincial markets are fragmented, the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and Alberta's protocols offer viable models for generating credits from methane avoidance and fossil fuel displacement.

• Cattail harvesting can reduce nutrient loading in the Lake Winnipeg watershed, with research indicating that cattails in the region can capture approximately 30 kg of phosphorus and 150 kg of nitrogen per hectare.
• Harvesting cattails mitigates greenhouse gas emissions by preventing the release of methane (CH4) that occurs when plants decompose under anaerobic conditions and by providing a biomass feedstock to displace fossil fuels like coal.
• There is currently no explicit federal or provincial legislation, policy, or programming in Manitoba that specifically governs the harvest of cattails or similar ecological biomass.
• The report proposes a 'Private Benefits Emphasis' scenario where harvesting is regulated through licensing and permits, using the Wild Rice Act and the Manitoba Woodlot Management model as precedents.
• The report proposes a 'Maximized Public Benefits' scenario where the government contracts private entities to harvest cattails in high-nutrient areas and provides tax breaks or incentives for private landowners.
• Cattails are currently listed as 'noxious weeds' under the Noxious Weeds Act in Manitoba, which mandates that landowners control them and requires harvesters to clean machines post-harvest to prevent spread.
• The Manitoba government has implemented an Emissions Tax on Coal Act to phase out coal use by 2014 for smaller-scale consumers, creating a market opportunity for cattail biomass as a replacement fuel.
• Canada lacks a national strategy for carbon offsets, resulting in a patchwork of provincial systems; Alberta is identified as having the most mature regime, with protocols for biomass combustion that could be adapted for cattails.
• The Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) is recommended as the most viable model for bringing cattail harvesting offsets into the voluntary carbon market due to its global applicability and market share.
• The report recommends including cattails in the Manitoba Biomass Energy Support Program (MBESP) and the Manitoba Bioproducts Strategy to promote their use as a coal-replacing biomass.

APA

Dohan, R., Roy, D., Grosshans, R., Gass, P., McCandless, M., & Venema, H. D. (2012). Cattail (Typha spp.) Harvesting in Manitoba: A legislative and market analysis for operationalization and carbon emission offsets. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/nr_cattail_harvesting_mb.pdf

Chicago

Dohan, Rosemary, Dimple Roy, Richard Grosshans, Philip Gass, Mathew McCandless, and Henry David Venema. Cattail (Typha spp.) Harvesting in Manitoba: A legislative and market analysis for operationalization and carbon emission offsets. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2012. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/nr_cattail_harvesting_mb.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dohan |first1=Rosemary |last2=Roy |first2=Dimple |last3=Grosshans |first3=Richard |last4=Gass |first4=Philip |last5=McCandless |first5=Mathew |last6=Venema |first6=Henry David |title=Cattail (Typha spp.) Harvesting in Manitoba: A legislative and market analysis for operationalization and carbon emission offsets |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=October 2012 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/nr_cattail_harvesting_mb.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dohan2012cattail, author = {Dohan, Rosemary and Roy, Dimple and Grosshans, Richard and Gass, Philip and McCandless, Mathew and Venema, Henry David}, title = {{Cattail (Typha spp.) Harvesting in Manitoba: A legislative and market analysis for operationalization and carbon emission offsets}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2012}, month = oct, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/nr_cattail_harvesting_mb.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }