Battling the buckthorn

“In our school forest that students throughout the building use, buckthorn growth has become an issue,” said Hill City School Superintendent Adam Johnson.

“Buckthorn is an invasive shrub that totally outcompetes our native vegetation,” said Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Forester Troy Holcomb. “Long-term infestations of buckthorn seriously degrade forest productivity, wildlife habitat and will lead to soil erosion into waterways as native vegetation disappears. In the case of the Hill City School forest, it is getting so thick that it is affecting educational opportunities for students.”