With buckthorns cut down, the character of the landscape will be changed. The understory will be much more open. Privacy hedges will have gaps. Effective buckthorn control takes a lot of effort. But if many of us work on small areas, we can help keep the problem from spreading.
Many garden centers offer advice on selection.
For free fact sheets on growing native plants, contact the DNR Information Center. John J. Moriarty is a wildlife biologist with Hennepin Parks. He has been battling buckthorn at work and at his home in the Twin Cities for several years. He wrote about moles and shrews in the January-February 1998 issue. The big impact of a little buckthorn Control of invasive species such as buckthorn costs Minnesota state parks, scientific and natural areas, and other natural lands tens of thousands of dollars every year.