The tree even tree huggers hate
By WorkCabin.ca Staff
November and December are key times across Canada in the fight against buckthorn. Its leaves can remain green into December making it easier to spot.Eradicting it from Canada is likely impossible, but halting its spread or reducing populations will make it more manageable.Still, for conservation officials and woodlot owners, European and glossy buckthorn is a tree that Canada would be better off without.
Native to Europe and western Asia, the trees were brought to North America in the late 1800s for use in windbreaks. Today, buckthorns are considered to be a serious threat to natural areas throughout eastern North America. In dense thickets, there is a noticeable absence of any other vegetation. Sunlight is unable to penetrate the canopy thereby making it virtually impossible for native trees and plants to even germinate. The trees’ fast growth rate – up to a metre per year – means even the smallest saplings will quickly overtake nearby larger native trees and stunt their future growth.
Want to go for a walk in a forest infested with buckthorn? Better wear body armour and head protection. Thorns will jab and stab you. If it’s extra dense, forget about even getting through it. If you take a moment and stand in an infested forest, it can be overwhelming. Removal can take years. Young trees less than a metre tall are everywhere, surrounded by larger adult trees. Native trees have all but vanished. Hidden in the soil are yet more buckthorn seeds – they can remain viable for five years – waiting to germinate. Other seeds are spread much farther by birds and other wildlife.
Yes, this is no ordinary tree. It can grow to 25 feet. Simply cutting it won't kill it. It only rebounds with twice the vigour. Even proper control efforts -- frilling the tree's base with an axe and then applying herbicide to the gash -- will sometimes fail; the tree will somehow sprout new leaves months later. It can take repeated actions to finally kill it.
Plan attack
1. Properly identify buckthorn first
2. Manually pull small trees and burn, if possible
3. For medium to large trees during the growing season, frill the entire base of the tree, and apply a strong solution of Roundup directly to the gash (monitor tree throughout seasons to ensure it dies)
4. Medium trees can also be cut in late summer or fall and a then apply a strong solution of Roundup to the stump
For full information on buckthorn control, consult with local conservation groups in your area
WorkCabin.ca is Canada’s green outpost for conservation work
PHOTO: European buckthorn (WorkCabin)
Posted by on 11/21 at 01:13 PM