On November 6th, the YES Teams at New London-Spicer Schools worked in shifts from 9:15 – 2:15 to remove invasive buckthorn plants from their school forest. Buckthorn is a noxious weed that was introduced to Minnesota in the 1850s as an ornamental plant, however it quickly began to spread and outcompete native species. Buckthorn owes its prolific ability to outcompete native plants to its hardiness and ability to grow in variably light and soil conditions, and according to the University of Minnesota, they are one the first plants to bloom in the spring and one of the last to lose their leaves in the fall. This is why the NL-S YES Teams chose to do this project in November; buckthorn is easier to identify when most other plants have already lost their leaves. This project was a two-pronged attack on this shrubby invader. Students used bow saws, chainsaws, and clippers to mechanically remove standing buckthorn and then followed up with a pesticide treatment on the exposed stumps of the plant to insure that they can’t resprout in the spring.
While the YES Teams removed buckthorn, they also cleared other understory shrubs and hanging branches that made the trail through their school forest inaccessible to other students. They also surveyed their outdoor learning spaces and considered what else they could do this season to improve this space for themselves, their fellow students, and other members of their community. This outdoor space was established by YES Teams in the past and continues to be a project that students are passionate about improving and maintaining.
Written by Jake Schwinghammer, YES Team Manager
