Volunteers Sought For Busting Buckthorn in Plymouth

There’s an invader in our parks, woodlands and back yards – and Plymouth residents are coming together to defeat it. With the help of volunteers, the city of Plymouth is organizing several “buckthorn busts” at city parks this fall.

Residents are invited to join in buckthorn removal events at Oakwood Park, 1700 County Road 101, and Maple Creek Park, 26th Avenue and Zanzibar Lane. Busts will be held 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays through Nov. 2 at Maple Creek Park and 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturdays through Nov. 9 at Oakwood Park.

Volunteers should dress for the weather and bring a water bottle, work gloves, sturdy shoes and a lopper or handsaw, if you have it. People are welcome to work for all or only part of the event. Registration is not required.

About Buckthorn

Buckthorn is a non-native invasive nuisance plant that forms dense thickets in forests, yards, parks and roadsides. It crowds out native plants and displaces the native shrubs and small trees where many species of birds nest.

Buckthorn leafs out early and retains its leaves late into the fall, creating dense shade that helps it to out-compete many native plants. It’s easy to spot buckthorn in late fall when native shrubs and trees have lost their leaves. Buckthorn will often have green leaves into December.

When buckthorn is left unchecked, it forms an impenetrable, messy thicket that:

• Out-competes native plants for nutrients, light and moisture

• Degrades wildlife habitat

• Threatens the future of forests, wetlands, prairies and other natural habitats

• Contributes to erosion by shading out other plants that grow on the forest floor

• Serves as host to other pests, such as crown rust fungus and soybean aphid

• Forms an impenetrable layer of vegetation

• Creates messy fruits that stain sidewalks and driveways

• Lacks “natural controls” such as insects or disease that would curb its growth

For more information on buckthorn removal events, contact Forestry Technician Lara Newberger at 763-509-5945 or lnewberger@plymouthmn.gov.

(Information provided by a city of Plymouth press release.)