Research project at the U of M aims to eliminate buckthorn

MINNEAPOLIS — Researchers at the University of Minnesota are looking at the best ways to battle an invasive plant spreading across our forests — buckthorn.

"Buckthorn is an invasive shrub that was brought over from Europe in the 1800s, primarily brought over for use in hedging," said Mike Schuster, a researcher leading the project. "It grows really quickly. It's resistant to pruning or browsing by animals, and it keeps its leaves on very late into the fall, and it produces tons of those leaves."

All those leaves are preventing the many native plants from growing, which can create a number of issues.

"Native plants provide the foundation which all other organisms depend on. So our wildlife depend on them. We depend on having native plants around and having forests that are completely dominated by buckthorn really reduces the value of those forests to people and nature alike," Schuster said.

Because the species can grow back so easily, whether it's in a forest or on your property, Schuster said it'll take more than just cutting it down.

"You need to follow it up with replanting native species. You need to fill the void that's left by those buckthorn you removed and get the native species back in there. We're also doing work looking at how deer fit into the picture, how buckthorn affects water quality, and how we can tailor these methods to better suit the different types of forests we see around the state," Schuster said.

Though it's a tall task at hand, Schuster added they're making progress thanks to the collaborative help from various agencies across the state.

The buckthorn project at the U is funded by the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. That expires next year unless Minnesota voters renew it on their ballot next month.