By Scout Nelson
The University of Minnesota researchers highlight a new method to control the spread of invasive buckthorn in forests, with support from volunteer scientists across the state. The study shows that planting native species can help reduce the return of this harmful shrub and improve forest health.
Common buckthorns spread quickly and harms forests by crowding out native plants. Even after removal, it often grows back fast when sunlight and space are available. This makes long-term control difficult for land managers and restoration teams.
The research team tests a method called revegetation seeding. This process involves planting native grasses and wildflowers immediately after removing buckthorn. These native plants compete with buckthorn seedlings for sunlight, water, and nutrients, making it harder for the invasive plant to grow again.
The study finds that buckthorn seedlings are about 45% smaller in areas where native plants are seeded. These areas also show higher coverage of native vegetation. Grasses and sedges play the most important role in reducing buckthorn growth, especially species like Canada Wildrye.
Another key finding shows that volunteers can successfully carry out this method without special training or equipment. This makes the approach simple and accessible for many people interested in protecting forests.
“This study helps us to better understand the role that everyday people can play in on-the-ground forest restoration regardless of skill level or formal ecological knowledge,” said Mark Fuka, co-author of the study and a plant community ecologist in the University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences.
“We’ve shown how native plants like Canada Wildrye can help suppress buckthorn in our earlier works, but this study takes a big leap forward,” said Mike Schuster, co-author of the study and a researcher in the University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. “Not only did we find that seeding native grasses and wildflowers helped keep buckthorn out of Minnesota woodlands, we found that was true across a huge diversity of site conditions and more than 100 different practitioners. This is a winning strategy that almost anyone can use.”
Researchers believe this method can work on a large scale. They also plan to study how restored forests may benefit pollinators and resist diseases in the future.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-mvburling
Categories: Minnesota, General