Post on 17-Jan-2018
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Restoring Natural Areas in the Twin Cities
Buckthorn Bashers Restoring Natural Areas in the Twin Cities What
is Buckthorn Bashers?
Buckthorn Bashers is an organization whose goal is to help connect
volunteers with habitat restoration projects in and around the Twin
Cities metro area. A website has been created on meetup.com which
allows volunteers see restoration events that are going on and sign
up to attend them. Benefits of the Website
. It instantly connects you with a variety of habitat restoration
events from various organizations such as The National Park
Service, Great River Greening, and the MN DNR. . You can see what
other Buckthorn Bashers are signed up for events . You can sign up
to receivereminders for events that you signed up for. . The
website allows you to share events you are attending with your
facebook and twitter friends with a couple clicks of a mouse. . It
is free to sign up!! What is Buckthorn? Buckthorn is a non-native ,
extremely invasive shrub, that is highly capable of crowding out
the majority of the native plants and trees in the understory of
forestswhere it is present. Common Buckthorn Glossy Buckthorn
Robert H. Mohlenbrock. USDA K.E Bolin, MN D.O.T Common vs Glossy
Buckthorn
Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus Cathartica)- As the name suggests this is
the more common of the two and is found more in the upland sites.
Glossy Buckthorn (Frangula Alnus)- Glossy Buckthorn isnt as large
of a problem as common buckthorn. It typically grows in lowland,
wet sites. History Buckthorn is not a native species to the United
States. Common Buckthorn and Glossy Buckthorn are the two species
found in Minnesota. While both species are native to Europe, they
were brought over to be used in landscapes and hedgerows.It quickly
became evident that both species spread rapidly and could not be
contained.Buckthorn rapidly spread to Woodlands, wetlands, parks,
roadsides, and yards taking over as the dominant plant.With no
natural insects or diseases to control buckthorn populations, it
has quickly outcompeted native species degrading the overall
quality of the natural habitat. [Anoka County Parks] Video Links
Buckthorn Boot Camp
Forest Avenger (Funny) Forest Restoration-Buckthorn Buckthorn
Experiment US Common Buckthorn Distribution
USDA MN Common Buckthorn Distribution
USDA WI Common Buckthorn Distribution Map
USDA Why Should We Be Concerned About Buckthorn
Buckthorn is detrimental to the health and future of our woodlands,
prairies, wetlands and parks because is takes over large areas
destroying wildlife habitat and food sources and out-competes other
important native plants that we need for a stabile, healthy
ecosystem. [Rice Creek Watershed District] Restricted Noxious
Weed
The MN Department of Agriculture has put both common and glossy
buckthorn on their restricted noxious weed list. This means it is
illegal to import, sell, or transport it in the state of Minnesota.
[MN Department of Agriculture] Methods of Removal Mechanical
Chemical Biological Mechanical Methods Hand pulling Weed Wrench
Loppers Girdling Chainsaw Chemical Methods . There are a variety of
chemicals that have proven effective at treating buckthorn. It is
very important to make sure you are using a chemical that is
approved by reputable agencies and that you use an amount that is
strong enough to kill the tree, but not so strong that you are
wasting chemical. See links below for local agencies
recommendations on chemical use. Biological Control Biological
control, the use of natural enemies to control non-native pests,
can be an effective tool in managing invasive plants. Non-native
plants can become invasive because they lack the insects and
diseases that control them in their native environments. Biological
control reunites natural enemies, such as herbivores and pathogens,
with their host (invasive plant) to reduce impacts caused by the
pest. Frequently, this involves the use of specialized insects that
were tested extensively for host specificity (safety) and efficacy.
The goal of biological control is not to eradicate the invasive
plant, but to reduce its impact to an acceptable level. [MN
Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources] Biological Control
Biological Control in Minnesota is a collaborative effort that
involves many organizations. The MN DNR and the MN Dept. of
Agriculture have been the two agencies that have taken lead roles
to find natural enemies for some of the invasive species found here
in MN. The MN DNR, the leader in buckthorn biological control
research, is still in the research phase of finding a suitable
natural enemy for buckthorn. If they find a suitable natural enemy
it will be another years before they could implement a biological
control program for buckthorn. Here is a link that provides more
information on Biological Control in Minnesota. Alternate Uses of
Buckthorn
Energy Source- Buckthorn can be collected and burned to create
energy at a heat plant. St. Pauls District of Energy has partnered
with some local organizations to use the waste wood to create
energy for the city. Craftsmanship- Some people have said buckthorn
can be used to make walking sticks for hikers. Buckthorn and Beyond
Buckthorn Bashers does a lot more than just eradicate buckthorn.
Buckthorn is perhaps the biggest threat to our woodlands in
Minnesota, but unfortunately there are many other threats to our
forests, prairies, and wetlands. There are a variety of non-native
species that restoration organizations see as major threats to
taking over our native plants. Here is a list of a few other
non-native species you may help to eradicate as a Buckthorn Basher
.Burdock .Purple Loosestrife .Garlic Mustard .Leafy Spurge .Sweet
Clover .Canadian Thistle .Hoary Allysum Buckthorn and Beyond
Buckthorn Bashers will be involved in much more than just pulling
buckthorn. We will also help out with the critical step of planting
trees after the buckthorn is out. Last year we helped out with
other restoration events such as planting acorns and collecting
prairie seed. It is a really great opportunity to work with
environmental professionals, learn about nature, and meet new
friends!! That Buckthorn got Bashed!!
Matt Dynan-Buckthorn
3-www.meetup.com/St-Paul-Buckthorn-Bashers/