Neighborhood Creek Restoration: Buckthorn Removal

About this Project

Join us to restore the natural areas along Minnehaha Creek as we do our part to conserve our shared green spaces. Removing common and glossy buckthorn from the woods is a high priority of our restoration efforts. We'll provide training and tools to carefully control buckthorn along Minnehaha Creek, all without the use of harmful herbicides. Want to start learning how to identify buckthorn? You can download an identification app like Seek or Google Lens or use this free training. 

2024 Buckthorn Removal Dates

  • Saturday, June 1 • 9-11 a.m.

  • Sunday, June 16 • 9-11 a.m.

  • Wednesday, June 26 • 9-11 a.m.

  • Saturday, July 6 • 9-11 a.m.

  • Sunday, July 21 • 9-11 a.m.

  • Wednesday, July 24 • 6-8 p.m.

  • Saturday, Aug 3 • 9-11 a.m.

  • Sunday, Aug 18 • 9-11 a.m.

  • Wednesday, Aug 28 • 6-8 p.m.

  • Saturday, Sep 7 • 9-11 a.m.

  • Sunday, Sep 15 • 9-11 a.m.

Creek Restoration Event FAQs

All events meet at 14th Ave S. and Minnehaha Creek (at the footbridge). This is a great opportunity for beginners, older kids and teens, etc. as no power tools or chemicals are used. Please take a moment to sign Minneapolis Parks’ waiver in advance. If you forget, you can also do so on site. Email frnng@frnng.org with any questions.

We will share the project guidelines, go over safety, and answer questions before teaming up to mark, cut, and remove buckthorn from the area. 

Tools are available for use (handsaws, loppers and pruners) or you may bring your own if you prefer; NO power tools or chemicals are used. Other items you may want to bring are gloves, safety glasses, water bottle, and bug spray. Please mark anything you bring with your name.

More About the Restoration Effort

In 2023, FRNNG established a Park Stewardship Agreement with the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board (MPRB) to address rapid erosion and ecological damage in the wooded area bordered by 12th Ave, Minnehaha Parkway, Bloomington Ave and 50th St..

A restoration strategy was developed collaboratively with MPRB naturalists. A high priority is removing plant species listed on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources “Minnesota Noxious Weed List” and increasing the variety and density of native, pollinator-friendly species. 

Buckthorn Removal 

A major focus of our volunteer efforts is removing common and glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica L. and Frangula alnus Mill.) from the woods. These plants take over wooded areas and inhibit growth of other species due to the dense shade they provide. Buckthorn fruit also harms wildlife due to poor nutrient quality compared to native fruit bushes, like those we planted along the creek in Spring 2024. 

FRNNG volunteers remove the plants using the high stump method, also called the high cut or critical cut method. With this MPRB-recommended approach, buckthorn trees with diameters between ½ inch and 3 inches are cut 4 feet above the ground by volunteers (leaving larger trees to be cut by MPRB experts).

Volunteers then strip all branches on the remaining stumps and return during future sessions to remove any new foliage that has grown. FRNNG teams flag the stumps with marking tape so they are easier to find for the ongoing maintenance. The buckthorn brush is either left in the woods to naturally degrade or piled near a paved trail for MPRB to remove.

Without leaves, the plant eventually dies from lack of energy. Once the plant is completely dead, the stump is left in place for insects and fungi to recycle into soil. The benefits of the high stump method are that roots stay in the ground to limit erosion, less physical effort is required by volunteers than digging roots and the stumps are easier to monitor.

Removing buckthorn root balls by digging is not permitted under MPRB volunteer guidance unless by special permission. Removing roots can damage soils, increase erosion and leave the site prone to invasion by other undesirable species such as garlic mustard and burdock. Hand pulling very small buckthorn is acceptable.

Restoring the Creek Ecosystem

Over the first year of this initiative, we have already seen measurable progress in dead buckthorn and vigorous understory vegetation taking its place. As FRNNG volunteers clear out the buckthorn, native shrubs, herbaceous plants and vines already in the forest are jumping at their chance to come back and thrive. The MPRB provides additional assistance in the form of seed mixes, perennial plants and bare root shrubs for FRNNG teams to plant.

The photo shows a few of the 30 shrubs MPRB provided and FRNNG planted in Spring 2024. The restoration strategy is structured around six management areas to maximize impact of the volunteer teams and methodically restore the area.

Restoration Areas

FRNNG volunteers have divided the project between 12th and Bloomington Avenues and Minnhehaha Parkway and East 50th Street into specific areas. Area A was the focus of restoration work in 2023 and was selected because it had the least amount of undesirable species and, therefore, provided the potential for rapid results. 

In 2024, effort was expanded to Area F while Area A continues to be restored. Primary efforts in Area F are high-stumping buckthorn and removing garlic mustard. In Area A, current efforts are continuing to strip stumps cut in 2023, cutting buckthorn the 2023 efforts missed, removing other invasive species and planting native seeds and shrubs to restore species diversity. 

Future plans are to expand the restoration work to the rest of the forest working East and South, starting in Area B, and shifting to maintenance efforts for Areas A and F.

The goal is to have the forest to the point where routine management is sufficient to control undesirable plant species and for native plant diversity to be restored. We have already surveyed over 140 native plant species in our management area. There are a growing number of similar projects city-wide and greater attention from our county and state on the role that healthy urban green spaces like our creek fill for endangered species and native habitat.

Thank you!

Volunteers like you make this work possible and we hope you sign up to help with your family, friends or neighbors. Huge thanks to head volunteers Colleen Stockmann and Kyle Nelson for their vision and leadership on this project, to our many dedicated neighbors who share their time and enthusiasm to restore this ecosystem and to the FRNNG and MPRB for their support.

Limit the Spread of Invasives While Traveling

Traveling up North or camping this summer? Be careful with your gear to help prevent the spread of invasive species, by cleaning your boots and bike tires!

Share Your Observations

Noticed any orange fungi or dead buckthorn nearby? Scientists are asking for your help to report these and other observations to support a new UMN Study Looks at Fungi to Control Buckthorn (May 2024)

Join the Greening Volunteer E-list

Click here to sign up for our Greening Volunteers e-list and be notified for future Greening Committee meetings and events.