there’s an invader in your own
neighborhood a master of disguise it can
deceive you into thinking local trails
and green spaces are healthy lush and
thriving but it holds dark secrets
slowly it crawls through our communities
stealing sunshine and choking out
everything it passes this invader is
destroying natural processes that
support the necessities of life for
humans and Wildlife pressure on local
habitats is building and will continue
to build until we stand up against this
bully rapidly spreading this alien wipes
out entire ecosystems securing its
future in place of keystone species like
the mighty oak tree an entire oak
woodland dies by suffocation and lack of
food but this invader doesn’t stop there
it forces its way into our lawns and
Gardens lush backyard habitats shrink
each year and your yard work doubles
thanks to this killer pests it’s time to
put this stealthy killer on your
most-wanted list I’m referring to common
or European buckthorn Ramnath cathartica
in the case of this exotic invasive
species we simply cannot let nature take
its course the spread of invasive
species is a major factor contributing
to ecosystem change and instability
throughout our nation they displace and
eliminate native species alter wildfire
patterns damaged infrastructure and
threaten human livelihoods invasive
species are changing our beloved and
iconic landscapes European buckthorn was
first brought to North America in the
1800s the bright green leaves that
emerge early in spring and persist into
winter made it a desirable ornamental
plant for hedges by the midnight
hundreds the species became naturalized
and quickly spread across the Midwestern
and northeastern United States and the
maritime provinces of Canada European
buckthorn is widespread across the
northern half of Illinois in a recent
study the Chicago region trees
initiative investigated urban forests
contained on private lands across the
region buckthorn was the most commonly
encountered tree species in Lake County
European buckthorn now accounts for 42%
of our tree landscape the highest
percentage in the region with Cook
County in second at 32% these figures
include not only publicly owned natural
areas but those owned by businesses and
homeowners in less than 100 years this
invader went from zero plants to a
dominating 42% of our urban tree canopy
and that figure grows every season but a
tree is a tree right no green is good
right
not always shouldn’t we let nature take
its course
no these are conversations I have with
members of our community every day as a
public relations and communications
professional with the Lake County Forest
Preserve District I speak with residents
all over our region to those unfamiliar
with invasive species Green is good
many residents stand before a dark dense
thicket of buckthorn and feel a sense of
peace or privacy not I I know the truth
about this invader my passion for the
natural world started at a very young
age from cold autumn mornings scouting
deer trails with my father to staring at
toads my mother discovered in our
gardens I was hooked
it wasn’t until I studied wildlife
management at Purdue University that
to see a damaging force present in most
natural areas around the world
invasive species my favorite places to
explore and unwind were in trouble and
had been for a long time unbeknownst to
me I had walked past pockets of invasive
shrubs on those frosty mornings with my
father although I didn’t know it let
nature take its course
rarely an option for land managers
working tirelessly to preserve local
ecosystems numerous damaging ecological
impacts have brought buckthorn to the
top of the most wanted list for natural
resource managers removal of buckthorn
and other woody invasives is a key
conservation goal across the Chicago
area and most Midwestern states having
an affinity for disturbed areas
buckthorn has invaded up on prairies
canopy openings oak woodlands roadsides
ravines fence rose forest edges river
banks floodplain forests and cultural
landscapes alike you know pretty much
anywhere their soil European buckthorn
is widespread across the north and half
of Illinois and dominates the understory
in many natural areas another species
glossy buckthorn also occurs in Illinois
equally as invasive Frank ELA illness it
plagues wetter natural areas you know
those soils typically too wet for
European buckthorn establishment this is
nature’s current course without our
intervention dense infestations of
buckthorn and not much else let’s
quickly cover why that’s a terrible
future buckthorn produces and retains
its leaves earlier and longer this Rob’s
ground layer vegetation of sunlight and
reduces native plant diversity and
abundance buckthorn reproduces rapidly
and far earlier than most native trees
and shrubs buckthorn has very little
nutrition
value for wildlife and its berries have
a diuretic effect on birds which aids
its proliferation across the landscape
buckthorn produces a moden a chemical
compound that protects buckthorn plants
and fruits from pathogens but deters
native wildlife from eating it this
chemical compound also inhibits the
growth of nearby plants in
microorganisms buckthorn has higher
nitrogen levels than all other non
nitrogen-fixing native trees which
causes leaf litter to decompose more
rapidly which changes pH and nitrogen
levels in the soil which leads to bare
soil conditions which weakens existing
plants by exposing root systems and
increases susceptibility to erosion and
causes a rapid increase in soil
arthropod colonization which then
consumed food resources too rapidly
which can cause a total collapse and
soil arthropod communities our third pod
communities form the base of food webs
that support many bird and mammal
species buckthorn infestations are
exacerbated by herbivores targeting the
remaining native plants further reducing
native plant cover in diversity
once native food plants are reduced
animal populations decline as well
a vicious unsustainable cycle in the
Chicago region seventy percent of all
trees are on private lands when it comes
to buckthorn removal the difference
across property lines is often stark to
effectively control buckthorn and other
invasives throughout Lake County removal
must go beyond the borders of public
natural areas that’s why my agency and
regional partners have launched a
program to eradicate buckthorn in
collaboration with local and regional
stakeholders we are enlisting help from
homeowners and landscapers to battle
buckthorn
create a more healthy diverse urban
landscape a partnership surrounding
Middle Fork Savannah Forest Preserve in
Lake Forest is working toward the
eradication of buckthorn within a 2,900
acre area though the focus of this pilot
project is buckthorn removal this
initiative educates the public on the
negative impact all invasive species
have on our communities and inspires
change in behaviors and practices
working together we can regain control
of our neighborhoods and conserve nature
across boundaries invisible to wildlife
forests prairies wetlands bodies of
water and other natural ecosystems
support human existence the abilities of
these natural systems to capture carbon
recharge groundwater maintain water
quality and protect areas against
flooding rely on healthy ecosystems it
can be heartbreaking and overwhelming to
look around at the impact humans have on
our natural world to truly fix the major
issues we’re facing today
it will require international
legislative and in your own backyard
changes it’s the last part of that to-do
list where I feel in control I have a
backyard I can make a difference if I
get my neighbors excited together we’ll
have a bigger impact the movement has
already begun and now you’re all a part
of it
connected with local activists and
community volunteer groups agencies such
as mine can put legs two campaigns that
would otherwise stay hyper local
successful eradication across public
private and corporate lands would go a
long way toward fixing these major
issues so let’s correct the course
spread the word about the damaging
effects of buckthorn on our landscape
scan your backyards communities and
neighborhoods for this vile invader
fall is a great
to plan for winter removal efforts
remember that jump start and late finish
buckthorn gets it’s bright green leaves
stand out this time of year
amongst native plants that have already
lost their leaves or changed color this
winter bundle up bring your family and
friends out to the nearest patch of
buckthorn you won’t have to travel far
get some fresh air and exercise build a
buckthorn bonfire they’re great fun get
the next generation excited about
tackling this backyard solution together
we can make a difference if we all
started tomorrow and prompted neighbors
to do the same we could fix this issue
in a few short years we can correct the
course imagine a Lake County landscape
in the near future
where you can’t tell when a forest
preserve ends and a backyard begins
picture a tiny Warbler exhausted by its
flight from North American wintering
grounds it searches for suitable habitat
to raise its babies now its urchins fast
because the bird doesn’t notice
boundaries at all in early May it makes
its summer home in your backyard you can
open your kitchen window here it’s a
cereal cascading song at dawn and dusk
in early June if you sit quietly you can
spy mama and her brood moving in long
hops there’s soft clumps of native
grasses at the edge of your garden
imagine as a community we have conserved
nature at a landscape scale we have
improved ecological functions and the
diversity of native plant and animal
life throughout Lake County we together
have you Radek ated buckthorn from
chicago backyards and kudzu from the
southeastern states we have removes
zebra mussels from the Great Lakes and
Asian carp from American River systems
this story of our successes has been
shared globally inspiring communities
elsewhere to
rise up against the invasive species
plaguing their Nations
a nationwide backyard effort of this
magnitude would go a long way toward a
resilient environmental future nature’s
current course is not sustainable
together we can make a difference little
actions mean a lot and they compound
let’s get that 42% back down to zero shall we
neighborhood a master of disguise it can
deceive you into thinking local trails
and green spaces are healthy lush and
thriving but it holds dark secrets
slowly it crawls through our communities
stealing sunshine and choking out
everything it passes this invader is
destroying natural processes that
support the necessities of life for
humans and Wildlife pressure on local
habitats is building and will continue
to build until we stand up against this
bully rapidly spreading this alien wipes
out entire ecosystems securing its
future in place of keystone species like
the mighty oak tree an entire oak
woodland dies by suffocation and lack of
food but this invader doesn’t stop there
it forces its way into our lawns and
Gardens lush backyard habitats shrink
each year and your yard work doubles
thanks to this killer pests it’s time to
put this stealthy killer on your
most-wanted list I’m referring to common
or European buckthorn Ramnath cathartica
in the case of this exotic invasive
species we simply cannot let nature take
its course the spread of invasive
species is a major factor contributing
to ecosystem change and instability
throughout our nation they displace and
eliminate native species alter wildfire
patterns damaged infrastructure and
threaten human livelihoods invasive
species are changing our beloved and
iconic landscapes European buckthorn was
first brought to North America in the
1800s the bright green leaves that
emerge early in spring and persist into
winter made it a desirable ornamental
plant for hedges by the midnight
hundreds the species became naturalized
and quickly spread across the Midwestern
and northeastern United States and the
maritime provinces of Canada European
buckthorn is widespread across the
northern half of Illinois in a recent
study the Chicago region trees
initiative investigated urban forests
contained on private lands across the
region buckthorn was the most commonly
encountered tree species in Lake County
European buckthorn now accounts for 42%
of our tree landscape the highest
percentage in the region with Cook
County in second at 32% these figures
include not only publicly owned natural
areas but those owned by businesses and
homeowners in less than 100 years this
invader went from zero plants to a
dominating 42% of our urban tree canopy
and that figure grows every season but a
tree is a tree right no green is good
right
not always shouldn’t we let nature take
its course
no these are conversations I have with
members of our community every day as a
public relations and communications
professional with the Lake County Forest
Preserve District I speak with residents
all over our region to those unfamiliar
with invasive species Green is good
many residents stand before a dark dense
thicket of buckthorn and feel a sense of
peace or privacy not I I know the truth
about this invader my passion for the
natural world started at a very young
age from cold autumn mornings scouting
deer trails with my father to staring at
toads my mother discovered in our
gardens I was hooked
it wasn’t until I studied wildlife
management at Purdue University that
to see a damaging force present in most
natural areas around the world
invasive species my favorite places to
explore and unwind were in trouble and
had been for a long time unbeknownst to
me I had walked past pockets of invasive
shrubs on those frosty mornings with my
father although I didn’t know it let
nature take its course
rarely an option for land managers
working tirelessly to preserve local
ecosystems numerous damaging ecological
impacts have brought buckthorn to the
top of the most wanted list for natural
resource managers removal of buckthorn
and other woody invasives is a key
conservation goal across the Chicago
area and most Midwestern states having
an affinity for disturbed areas
buckthorn has invaded up on prairies
canopy openings oak woodlands roadsides
ravines fence rose forest edges river
banks floodplain forests and cultural
landscapes alike you know pretty much
anywhere their soil European buckthorn
is widespread across the north and half
of Illinois and dominates the understory
in many natural areas another species
glossy buckthorn also occurs in Illinois
equally as invasive Frank ELA illness it
plagues wetter natural areas you know
those soils typically too wet for
European buckthorn establishment this is
nature’s current course without our
intervention dense infestations of
buckthorn and not much else let’s
quickly cover why that’s a terrible
future buckthorn produces and retains
its leaves earlier and longer this Rob’s
ground layer vegetation of sunlight and
reduces native plant diversity and
abundance buckthorn reproduces rapidly
and far earlier than most native trees
and shrubs buckthorn has very little
nutrition
value for wildlife and its berries have
a diuretic effect on birds which aids
its proliferation across the landscape
buckthorn produces a moden a chemical
compound that protects buckthorn plants
and fruits from pathogens but deters
native wildlife from eating it this
chemical compound also inhibits the
growth of nearby plants in
microorganisms buckthorn has higher
nitrogen levels than all other non
nitrogen-fixing native trees which
causes leaf litter to decompose more
rapidly which changes pH and nitrogen
levels in the soil which leads to bare
soil conditions which weakens existing
plants by exposing root systems and
increases susceptibility to erosion and
causes a rapid increase in soil
arthropod colonization which then
consumed food resources too rapidly
which can cause a total collapse and
soil arthropod communities our third pod
communities form the base of food webs
that support many bird and mammal
species buckthorn infestations are
exacerbated by herbivores targeting the
remaining native plants further reducing
native plant cover in diversity
once native food plants are reduced
animal populations decline as well
a vicious unsustainable cycle in the
Chicago region seventy percent of all
trees are on private lands when it comes
to buckthorn removal the difference
across property lines is often stark to
effectively control buckthorn and other
invasives throughout Lake County removal
must go beyond the borders of public
natural areas that’s why my agency and
regional partners have launched a
program to eradicate buckthorn in
collaboration with local and regional
stakeholders we are enlisting help from
homeowners and landscapers to battle
buckthorn
create a more healthy diverse urban
landscape a partnership surrounding
Middle Fork Savannah Forest Preserve in
Lake Forest is working toward the
eradication of buckthorn within a 2,900
acre area though the focus of this pilot
project is buckthorn removal this
initiative educates the public on the
negative impact all invasive species
have on our communities and inspires
change in behaviors and practices
working together we can regain control
of our neighborhoods and conserve nature
across boundaries invisible to wildlife
forests prairies wetlands bodies of
water and other natural ecosystems
support human existence the abilities of
these natural systems to capture carbon
recharge groundwater maintain water
quality and protect areas against
flooding rely on healthy ecosystems it
can be heartbreaking and overwhelming to
look around at the impact humans have on
our natural world to truly fix the major
issues we’re facing today
it will require international
legislative and in your own backyard
changes it’s the last part of that to-do
list where I feel in control I have a
backyard I can make a difference if I
get my neighbors excited together we’ll
have a bigger impact the movement has
already begun and now you’re all a part
of it
connected with local activists and
community volunteer groups agencies such
as mine can put legs two campaigns that
would otherwise stay hyper local
successful eradication across public
private and corporate lands would go a
long way toward fixing these major
issues so let’s correct the course
spread the word about the damaging
effects of buckthorn on our landscape
scan your backyards communities and
neighborhoods for this vile invader
fall is a great
to plan for winter removal efforts
remember that jump start and late finish
buckthorn gets it’s bright green leaves
stand out this time of year
amongst native plants that have already
lost their leaves or changed color this
winter bundle up bring your family and
friends out to the nearest patch of
buckthorn you won’t have to travel far
get some fresh air and exercise build a
buckthorn bonfire they’re great fun get
the next generation excited about
tackling this backyard solution together
we can make a difference if we all
started tomorrow and prompted neighbors
to do the same we could fix this issue
in a few short years we can correct the
course imagine a Lake County landscape
in the near future
where you can’t tell when a forest
preserve ends and a backyard begins
picture a tiny Warbler exhausted by its
flight from North American wintering
grounds it searches for suitable habitat
to raise its babies now its urchins fast
because the bird doesn’t notice
boundaries at all in early May it makes
its summer home in your backyard you can
open your kitchen window here it’s a
cereal cascading song at dawn and dusk
in early June if you sit quietly you can
spy mama and her brood moving in long
hops there’s soft clumps of native
grasses at the edge of your garden
imagine as a community we have conserved
nature at a landscape scale we have
improved ecological functions and the
diversity of native plant and animal
life throughout Lake County we together
have you Radek ated buckthorn from
chicago backyards and kudzu from the
southeastern states we have removes
zebra mussels from the Great Lakes and
Asian carp from American River systems
this story of our successes has been
shared globally inspiring communities
elsewhere to
rise up against the invasive species
plaguing their Nations
a nationwide backyard effort of this
magnitude would go a long way toward a
resilient environmental future nature’s
current course is not sustainable
together we can make a difference little
actions mean a lot and they compound
let’s get that 42% back down to zero shall we
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