Get in on the Hate for Buckthorn

by Doug Moran
​Why all the hate for buckthorn? Well, there’s a lot to hate about it.
While it’s a nice looking shrub that greens up before and stays green well past our natives, there’s 3 big reasons why we hate it.

1. Native bugs don’t eat it
2. Their leaves degrade far faster than natives
3. They block the sun from the soil

So what, do you ask? Well read on.

• Fewer bugs means less food for trout, birds and other wildlife.
• Fast degrading leaves mean less decaying vegetation, which means less food for all aquatic wildlife
• Bare soil leads to more erosion, shallower and wider and warmer streams.

MNTU, TCTU and the DNR have worked together on the South Branch of the Vermillion to managed buckthorn, and it has had a significant impact on water quality, stream width, amount of wildlife and number of trout per mile. Getting rid of buckthorn works. 
So, how can you get in on the hate?
Sign up for TCTU events where we work on eradicating buckthorn. We have several events a year specifically for this, and are working on increasing that amount. 
Click here  to sign-up for events and express your hate for buckthorn.
Sources and further reading
DNR on buckthorn
FMR On buckthorn
U of MN's Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center