Buckthorn Control in the Bog
Jim Reinartz, FOCB President
The shrub glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus) is the most serious invasive plant threat to the plant communities of the Cedarburg Bog. Over the past two winter seasons, when the Bog has been frozen, we have worked to control both glossy and common buckthorns. This work will maintain our long-term control of buckthorn on over 600 acres in the Bog.
The Southeastern Wisconsin Invasive Species Consortium (SEWISC) obtained a large grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for buckthorn control during the winter seasons starting in 2023. The FOCB has received two Stewardship Friends Grants from the Wisconsin DNR, a Cherish Wisconsin Outdoors Fund grant from the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, and a grant from the Dutton Foundation to work on this buckthorn control project.
Before buckthorn removal, note the tree in the center.
After buckthorn was cut.
We could not do any control work during the 2023-24 winter because the Bog never froze solidly to make winter access to the work areas feasible. 2024-25 was a great winter for ice and we hired crews of four contractors plus the DNR State Natural Areas crew to clear buckthorn from 183 acres. This past winter, the Bog was frozen well enough by the middle of January to begin work and we were able to work in the Bog through March 4 when the ice began to thaw and the sap started to flow in the cut buckthorn stumps.
We were able to clear buckthorn from another 44 acres this past season for a total of 227 acres to date. We have already surpassed our original acreage goal of 202 acres and still have a small amount of grant funding remaining for next season. We can all celebrate the FOCB’s major accomplishment, preserving and protecting the native communities of our magnificent wetland! The Friends are deeply grateful to SEWISC for the role that they played in raising and managing funding for this project.
