• What does restoration mean in land conservation? (Part II)
• What does restoration mean in land conservation?
• What resources are available to help manage wooded lots?
• What is that?
• I've seen many trees cut down in the Lake Country area. Why are landowners doing this?
• How do you keep insects out of your home over winter?
• What is Oak Wilt?
• Is there an insect being studied that will eat Garlic Mustard?
• My woods are filled with dead trees, logs, and downed branches . . . should I clean up the mess?
• Why do we need to be watchful with Wild Parsnip?
• What are the new DNR shoreland rules?
• Can Fertilizers Harm Our Lakes?
• What is purple loosestrife and how do you control it?
• How do you remove buckthorn?

ANSWER:   (by Eric Parker, GRAEF)
In the last issue, I discussed the concept of restoration and how simple or difficult it may be based on the site's history. Restoration to mimic pre-settlement conditions can be accomplished more easily on land that has been minimally disturbed. Hopefully you're convinced that if an area has undergone minimal disturbance and carries traits of its original condition, known as a "remnant area," it is well worth the effort to provide the management techniques necessary to restore it. These areas possess the potential to carry the highest biodiversity of flora and associated fauna.

Most of us who are interested in land conservation either have or desire a beneficent relationship with nature. Our collective need to maintain our instincts to co-exist with natural areas and to further our understanding of ecological processes has never been greater. Furthermore, the rapidly growing fields of eco-psychology and nature-deficit disorder have shown that all humans have this primal need, with varying degrees of self-recognition.

Northwestern Waukesha county, and most areas of the United States for that matter, co-evolved with us these past few hundred years to the point where remnant natural areas are becoming rare. Our intervention with not only the soils, plants and animals, but also natural processes such as fire, disease, drought and flooding has favored some species over others. Many of the favored invasive species have been detrimental to our native ecosystems.

You may find that an area has had minimal disturbance by researching available documents such as geologic/glacial and groundwater maps, especially original land survey records. A search of prior surveys or records of soil, flora or fauna or historical aerial photographs would be helpful. Interviewing former landowners may provide the history of past uses such as grazing, mowing, ditching or burning.

Fire suppression is another subtle way we have altered our landscape. Natural fires derived from lightning or fires set by Native Americans were a regular process under which our ecosystems evolved for thousands of years. In the past, healthy and non-intense regular burning, kept shrubs and trees in check on prairies and savannas. Where original woodlands existed, fire kept the under story open and allowed a relatively higher degree of sunlight to reach the forest floor. Ground layer plants such as spring ephemerals (e.g. trilliums, spring beauties and wood anemone) and sedges (grass-like plants) evolved to cycle nutrients and water to the trees and other neighboring plants.

Once remnant or the most minimally disturbed areas have been identified, goals should be drafted based on the problems and assets that are unique to the site. Adjacent properties and land uses must be considered and stakeholders identified. An initial budget must be formulated in considering the goals as well.

Next issue, I’ll discuss principles and techniques in restoration. But, first and foremost, trust your instincts to recognize those remnant areas on your properties, and know the importance of preserving their native plants while also keeping their undisturbed topsoil intact.

Eric Parker is a senior scientist with Natural Resources Consulting. NRC is a multi-disciplined natural resources consulting firm based in Cottage Grove, WI with 6 offices in WI, IA and CO. Visit www.nrcdifference.com.

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ANSWER:   (by Eric Parker, GRAEF)
As you are likely aware, Tall Pines Conservancy's mission is "to preserve our rural heritage by protecting remaining farmland, water resources, natural areas and open spaces impacting Northwestern Waukesha County." While recognizing the importance of the entire mission statement, the focus of this article is protecting restorable natural areas that have been degraded due to disturbance and unhealthy processes. These processes include years of intensive cropping and plowing, erosion, grazing, lumbering and the unchecked invasion of invasive species.

Restoration is "the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged or destroyed" [Society for Ecological Restoration]. This is a big next step after taking the first step to protect land from development. I hope to make the case in this article that restoration is an essential element in "protection."

The ease or difficulty to restore land to its condition prior to human alterations varies greatly depending on the degree to which the alteration has taken place and the length of time that has passed since the original alteration. For example, restoring a farm field—that was created in the late 1800's and plowed annually to present—back to its original prairie or woodland status ("de novo" restoration) would be difficult, if not impossible to do within several hundred years.

In contrast, if a woodlot or wetland has never been cleared, plowed or grazed, a remnant group of flora and fauna may still exist allowing for a relatively simple restoration plan. Lands with undisturbed soils are considered "remnant" natural areas, containing a high percentage of pre settlement plants and associated soil microorganisms. Often times these remnants contain healthy seed sources to utilize in restoring the neighboring lands back to pre settlement vegetation. Remnant natural areas may also contain endangered and critical species of state and national significance.

Soil disturbance is the most subtle of all disturbances. An untold diversity of microscopic fungi, bacteria and animals co-existed and evolved within the topsoil of our natural areas. Each cubic foot held a unique assemblage. These "unseen" components are the first to die when land is plowed, excavated, filled or paved. Land that was grazed or has undergone vegetative alterations but lacks significant soil disturbance may have some of these micro-organisms remaining.

The introduction of plants and animals from overseas and other parts of the U.S. has forever changed our landscape as some species have become "invasive." Common and glossy buckthorn, garlic mustard, reed canary grass and purple loosestrife are examples in our area.

The good news is that our remnant natural areas, many of which remain unrecognized on private land, continue to this day to possess at least some of their original diversity including the microscopic elements discussed above. These can be recognized by observing an area where there is a diversity of native plants.

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ANSWER:   (by Clay Frazer, EC3 Environmental Consulting Group)
It's a great time to own wooded property. There are more resources available to landowners today than ever before. Information abounds from print, internet, and local organizations and agencies. There are federal and state programs in which woodlots can be enrolled and management regimes can be outlined and cost-shared.

The NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) oversees a program called WHIP or Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program. Wooded acres can be enrolled and cost-share values will be put in place to help defray the costs of management. Speak to your local NRCS office to find out if there is a WHIP signup in your county and if you might be eligible.

The Wisconsin DNR manages a program called MFL or Managed Forest Lands. Here, a DNR forester writes a long-term stewardship plan that takes into account all of the goals the landowner has for the property. There is substantial tax savings involved with enrollment into MFL and both MFL and the WHIP program will outline mandatory management proctices that must occur within a specific time frame.

It can all be a little overwhelming to a new landowner who has just purchased wooded property or even to those families that have owned wood lots for generations and have make the important decision to actively manage the property.

The goals of management are almost never simple or singular in nature. In general, most landowners want to ensure the long term health and quality of their woodlots while enhancing wildlife value and aesthetic appeal. But what does that mean and how do you define qualtiy and value?

One of the most important places to start is to have a professional forester meet with you and assess your timber stand or wooded area. The Wisconsin DNR has foresters in every county that can perform this service for you, and there are also numerous private sector forestry and land management consultants who do this work for a living.

The most common issue facing woodlot owners today is invasive species. This is also the most common-sense place to start in terms of active management. Woody invasive species such as box elder, prickly ash, honeysuckle, buckthorn, sumac, black locust and others degrade the quality of a woodlot in many ways. These species grown much faster than quality native trees and spred prolifically. They crowd out and out-compete native shrub, tree and broadlead species within a woodlot. Traditionally, these species were either not present (most are non-native exotic species introduced accidentally or intentionally) or were contained by wildfires that occurred often enough to keep them from dominating an area. Prescribed fire is still one of the most useful and important tools available to manage hardwood forests and prairie ecosystems. Well-timed prescribed burning can also set back many herbaceous invasive species in woodlands such as garlic mustard and burdock. Oak/hickory woodlots are ecologically fire dependant systems. Without fire or some process that replicates fire, the native hardwood forest will succumb to invasive trees and shrubs, and it happens faster than you might think.

After invasive species are eradicated (or at least on their way to being eradicated) the next logical step is called Timber Step Improvement or TSI. This involves removing specific trees within a stand of timber in order to enhance the value and qualtiy of the remaining trees. Again, a professional forester would "mark" the timber for thinning in order to open forest canopy to facilitate native tree seedling growth or to encourage the growth of the remaining older trees. With some programs for forest management, structure exists within the program to help you find a service that will also harvest these trees for you and perhaps even pay you to do so if there is market value in the timber being harvested.

Often times TSI is conducted over many years. It can also be done in a much more defined time-frame by a professional land management company. The important thing is to stay motivated and focused by setting realistic goals. If you are tackling numerous acres and you are related to occasional weekend work with a chainsaw, try to break the woodlot into smaller, more manageable units. Start working in the areas of highest priority such as in areas that are infested with mature, seed-producing invasive trees. There are also herbicide application methods that can kill these mature invasives without physically removing them.

Make sure you understand the proper herbicides to use in preventing woody invasives from re-sprouting. Cutting a buckthron tree and allowing it to recover (or treating it with the wrong herbicide, or the right herbicide mixed imporperly) is one of the deepest pitfalls I see landowners fall into when going it alone.

Before cutting any woody species from your property, be sure to consult with a professional land manager or professional forester to confirm the species you will be removing are invasives/non-natives or native species that need to be thinned. And before cutting trees in or near a wetland or near a navigable stream or lake, consult a DNR wetlands specialist and The Waukesha County Department of Parks and Land Use as a permit may be required.

Again, arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible before committing large amounts of time and money on woodland management. You'll find that some of the greatest rewards of owning forested land lies in proper and consistent active management.

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ANSWER:    (by Jeff Kante, Superintendent of Highway and Forestry Department, Village of Chenequa)
A lake resident asked, "What is that snake thing in the lake?" As a forester, I receive many calls to identify all sorts of nature’s creations but this was different. The shape was long and cylindrical, 2-4 inches thick with brown markings along the body. Each section emerging from the water was several feet long. It really did appear like a huge snake coiled up along the shore. This was no animal, it was a plant! Actually, it is the root system of the water lily plant. For an unknown reason a large section of roots lifted from the lake bottom and floated to shore.

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ANSWER:    (by Jeff Kante, Superintendent of Highway and Forestry Department, Village of Chenequa)
Logging in forest management is often mistaken with forest destruction. In fact, it does just the opposite. It’s used by forest managers and woodland owners as a tool to manage a forest for a variety of reasons including aesthetics, wildlife and recreation.Not only can tree removal be used to shape a property for a specific purpose, it can be used to restore or preserve forest health. Timber harvesting has even been used to create and speed the development of old growth forest characteristics in dense second growth forests.

Granted, history books are filled with countless old photos of the damage caused by logging. Times have changed. Logging has changed and so have our forests. Today the emphasis is to preserve the forest productivity and health. Each cut is planned for a specific goal and varies from site to site.

The intensity of the logging ranges from a thinning cut to a final harvest. A thinning removes lower quality trees to favor growth of the remaining trees and create gaps in the forest canopy. Following a thinning operation, the residual trees respond with additional growth due to reduced competition for sunlight, water and nutrients. Other forest health problems such as insect attack are lessened because these trees are under less environmental stresses.

On the other end of the scale, the final harvest cut will remove all the trees, commonly known as a clear cut. Some tree species like aspen regenerate from suckers but require full sunlight for growth. Without logging to replicate a natural event such as fire or wind storms, the aspen would disappear from a forest, replaced by other more shade tolerant tree species.

Modern timber harvesting is highly mechanized and the equipment used is designed to reduce the negative aspect of harvesting. Branches and other woody debris left on the ground after the tree is cut serves as a cushion to reduce soil compaction by the equipment. Within several years, the crushed branches decompose back into the soil.

Within the last several years, there has been a handful of logging operations in and around the lake country. Most have involved the thinning of crowded pine plantations and a few others have been in oak woodlots. Those property owners have taken a step toward good land stewardship.

The next time you see logging equipment in the trees, don’t think of it as destruction. Instead, think of a remodeling project. The results are well worth the mess.

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ANSWER:    (by Jeff Kante, Superintendent of Highway and Forestry Department, Village of Chenequa)
Fall is here and now is the time to keep the insects outside, especially the Asian Lady Beetle and the Box Elder Bug. These two species have caused problems for homeowners as they try to get into their homes to escape the cold.

The Asian Lady beetle or Lady bug is a predator of aphids and scale insects and considered to be beneficial. Beginning in the early 1900’s several attempts were made to introduce this insect as a biological control against aphids and they are now found throughout the Eastern United States. The Asian lady beetle is now much more common than our native Lady Beetle.

The other insect looking for a warm winter home is the Box Elder Bug. This bug is about ¾ of an inch long with red lines across a black body. The Box Elder Bug feeds on Box Elder and Silver Maple trees causing only minor tree damage.

As the weather cools, these two insects begin to congregate on warm sunny exterior walls and foundations looking for a place over winter. Generally these groups disperse by evening moving to protected outdoor areas such as under leaves or logs.

Both insects are capable of crawling though openings as small as 1/16 of an inch. Pest proof your home by blocking their entry points such as door sweeps, and thresholds, windows, and utility openings.

Once inside vacuuming will work, but discard the bag afterwards before they can crawl back out. Also, remember the Lady Bug can defend itself by bleeding though its joints, so be forewarned if handling these critters.

A UW Extension publication on the Asian Lady Beetle lists several synthetic pyrethroid compounds available as a spray to kill or repel the beetle before entering the house. Consider using a professional to make an application.

The Box Elder bug may be easier to control with a soap and water spray mix (3-4% by volume) which should be applied directly on the insect. Other professional compounds are also available.

Properly insulated and weather proofed homes keep these insects as well as other forms of nature outside and help reduce your heating bills.

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ANSWER:    (by Jeff Kante, Superintendent of Highway and Forestry Department, Village of Chenequa)
Oak wilt is a fatal disease of oak trees caused by a fungus (Ceratocystis Fagacearum). Once an individual tree is infected it can spread easily to other oaks, cross property lines and alter the landscape of homes and woodlots. Reports of trees killed by the fungus go back 100 years and it is found throughout southern Wisconsin and much of the east central US.

Generally the fungus enters the oak tree by two paths, open wounds (pruning cuts), or the root system. Sap feeding insects known as picnic beetles attracted to fresh wounds, pick up the fungal spores as they move from tree to tree. The second major cause is through the root systems of adjacent trees which have naturally grafted to one another. The combined systems create a conduit for the fungus to move from oak to oak.

Nearly all oak species are susceptible but the red and black oaks are most likely affected. The other common oak species, the white, bur and swamp white are much less susceptible to the disease but not completely immune.

Symptoms usually appear during the warmer summer months of June, July, and August. Leaves gradually turn a bronze color, then fall from the tree. A laboratory test for the presence of the fungus will confirm the disease. Note: Oak trees are subject to many different disease problems some of which may be confused with Oak Wilt, so be sure to have an arborist examine your tree before beginning treatment.

To avoid the disease, prune oaks only during the dormant season and pruning paint may be used on wounds caused by storms. This is one of the few cases where pruning paint is recommended.

If a tree is found with Oak Wilt it is best to remove the tree during the winter if damage to other oaks is possible during felling. If root grafts are likely, it is very important to severe the root grafts between healthy and infected oak trees before removal. A tractor mounted trenching tool similar to those used for underground cable installation is most commonly used to cut the roots to a depth of five feet.

Wood from infected trees can be used as firewood with some precautions. Cutting and splitting will hasten the time needed to dry the wood to a point where the fungus can not survive. Cover with a tar and bury the ends to prevent contact with insects.

Chemical treatments have been developed which may be injected into the tree to arrest the symptoms if caught very early. However, trenching is still recommended.

Any tree species can be injured from a host of agents including insect, storms, and other fungi. Monitor the health of your trees or at least look at them occasionally to determine if something doesn’t look right. As with most things it is easier to treat a problem earlier than later.

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ANSWER:    (by Jeff Kante, Superintendent of Highway and Forestry Department, Village of Chenequa)
Anyone who has spent a time pulling, cutting, or spraying Garlic Mustard (Alliaria Petiolata) knows how overwhelming the job can be. Help may be on the way!

Originally from Europe , this highly invasive plant has spread into our woods and yards crowding out our native plants. As with other aggressive non-native plants, they gain control because they lack a controlling agent such as animal and insect feeding or disease.

The journal “Ecological Restoration” published by the University Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum reported that the testing of several insect species which will feed exclusively on Garlic Mustard is near completion.

Back in 1998 US researchers and scientists from the CABI-Bioscience Centre of Switzerland combined to find a biological control to be used against Garlic mustard. The researchers found 69 insect species from Europe which feed on the plant.The field was reduced to four, because the group is thought to feed exclusively on Garlic mustard. Further tests were done at CABI and at the University of Minnesota-St. Paul to check for possible collateral damage to North American plants species.

The most promising candidate is a species of weevil and testing was expected to be completed Fall 2005. Pending approval from the U.S. Department of agriculture, introductions may be as early as 2006. Studies are still being conducted on the other insects as well as long term study plots in several states including Wisconsin.

Introducing a biological control is often controversial. However, several types have been used in our area with great success. The Galerucella beetle has been used for Purple Loosestrife control and both a fungu (Entomophaga Maimaiga) and a virus (nuclearpolyhedrosis virus) are used again Gypsy Moths.

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ANSWER:    (by Jeff Kante, Superintendent of Highway and Forestry Department, Village of Chenequa)
Many people "clean up" their woods of the dead trees, logs, and brush pile thinking they are improving their woods. It may be a great source of firewood, but it could come at the expense of wildlife. Nature loves a mess, especially the critters. I once heard a wildlife biologist say, "a dead tree is one hundred times more valuable to wildlife than a live one."

Over 70 species of Wisconsin birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles use dead and dying trees as habitat.

Whether it's a hollow oak in the woods or a log fallen into the water these trees provide habitat as dens, nests, protective cover, perches, food sources, or food storage.

Standing dead trees known as snags are divided into two types. Hard snags have hollow or rotting interiors creating excellent dens. These tend to be larger oaks and maples and have hollow trunks but resist decay. As such they stay in the landscape for a long period.

Soft snags are from fast growing trees such as aspen. These are less decay resistant and become feeding sites for insect eating birds.

Tall or solitary snags become perches for predatory birds looking for their next meal.

Once the snag falls, it continues to provide habitat. Salamanders use logs as a moist protective cover to move through the forest. Hollow logs continue to be used as dens by animals such as fox or opossum. On slopes, logs effectively prevent erosion catching the detritus as it moves down hills. Some forest plants depend on decayed logs as a nutrient rich, moist micro-site for seedlings to develop. Finally, the completely decayed log returns to the soil adding humus, improving the soil for the future.

Hollow or dead trees can be a hazard and safety is a priority. And some tree pathogens may threaten surrounding trees if not managed properly, but consider how valuable the snag or a log is to the critters that need them for food or shelter.

Think about the log the next time a turtle splashes into the water or the snag at the sound of a woodpecker. Remember, "a dead tree is one hundred times more valuable than a live one."

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ANSWER:    (by Jeff Kante, Superintendent of Highway and Forestry Department, Village of Chenequa)
Wild Parsnip is one plant that should have a warning label, "handle with care." Contact with the juice of the plant can cause a burn and blisters to the skin if exposed to sunlight. Affected areas may remain discolored for months after the blisters have healed.

An introduced plant, it has spread to Wisconsin and across much of the US. It is most often found in open sunny areas such as roadsides, old fields, and meadows. Anyone who spends time hiking or working in the field should learn to identify wild parsnip.

The plant begins as a rosette of leaves early in the spring. This stage can last for several years before a thick, tall stalk toped with an umbel of yellow flowers appear. The stalk is often four feet tall and flowering can begin in late spring to early summer.

Wild Parsnip can spread rapidly once established, so early detection and removal is important. Due to the likelihood of serious skin problems when contact is make with the plant’s juices, it is recommended to wear pants, long sleeves and gloves. Unlike poison ivy, no one is immune from its effects.

Control methods include cutting the root below ground with a shovel and mowing just after peak flowering or chemical control.

For more information, photos and links to other related sites, contact the WI DNR web page by visiting: www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/er/invasive/factsheets/parsnip.htm.

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ANSWER:    (by Jeff Kante, Superintendent of Highway and Forestry Department, Village of Chenequa)
Anyone dumping stone, rock, gravel, sand, whatever into our lakes requires a permit.

Depending on the extent of the project, one or several permits may be required from various agencies. The first place to check whether a permit is needed is with a WI-DNR, Water Management Specialist.

The permit system assures standards are met and prevents anyone from improving their shore at the cost of water quality, fish/wildlife habitat, and lake aesthetics. According to the DNR, Waterfront property owners have a right to protect their shores for the purpose of erosion control, not the purpose of developing the site. This right is subject to the public trust.

Currently the WI-DNR is in the process of revising Erosion Control Standards for Inland Lakes and Flowages (NR328) and Wisconsin’s Shoreland Management Program (NR115).

NR328 will go to the WI Natural Resources Board this winter for approval. NR 328 will prevent erosion control practices, which would degrade shoreline habitat if other methods of erosion control would be effective. Other changes include a standardized method to assess erosion potential using a formula to determine storm wave height. The higher the wave, the greater the potential for erosion and the need for stronger erosion prevention methods. However, if the erosion is caused by boat wake or ice movement, more site specific information will be required on the application. More details are available at the WI-DNR web site: www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/fhp/fish/nr328/index.htm.

The other regulation to be revised is Wisconsin’s Shoreland Development Standards (NR115). This regulation contains standards for building setbacks, development density and nonconforming structures in unincorporated areas. Villages and cities will not be affected. Note that many of the items contained in NR 115 may be found in other state or local regulations. The WI-DNR has just begun to revise this regulation and public input will be solicited.

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ANSWER:    (by Jeff Kante, Superintendent of Highway and Forestry Department, Village of Chenequa)
Fertilizers are used to create and maintain a green healthy lawn but may have an effect far beyond your yard. Poor gardening practices harm not only our lakes and streams, but your lawn as well. By following several practices your lawn can co-exist with a lake.

In our area the recommended applications of lawn fertilizer is during late May, late June, and early October. August applications are sometimes used. Low maintenance lawns need only a fall application. Poorly timed applications may reduce the growth of grass roots, cause disease and are a needless expense. Too much fertilizer can burn a lawn as well, so have your soil tested and apply only what is needed.

Choose a fertilizer that is low in phosphorous (K), represented by the middle number printed on each bag. Example: A standard bag may have a N-P-K ratio of 20-10-10, a fertilizer which contains no phosphorous would have a ratio of 20-0-10.

Typically there is ample phosphorous in our soils and little need to add more. It is phosphorous which contributes to excessive lake weeds and algae growth. One pound of phosphorous can yield 500 pounds of aquatic weeds and algal growth.

If you're trying to maintain a lawn that is too shaded or on a steep bank, consider replacing it with alternatives such as perennials, ground covers, shrubs, or native herbaceous plants. Choose plants that thrive under difficult conditions. Trying to maintain turf grass under shade is a losing battle. Give in, and use plants that thrive where sod grass won't.

Remember, it all goes down hill. Any paved or hard surface such as a roof will increase the run-off potential. the soils can't absorb all the additional water, which then drains to a lower area or the lake. Run-off carries with it fertilizers, pesticides, pet waste, sediment, lawn clippings, engine oil, anti-freeze etc. This cocktail of contaminants can cause excessive weed and algae growth, cloudy water, and add toxins to the water.

To filter these contaminants from reaching the lake consider a buffer strip along the shore. Replace the lawn with a strip of native sedges, perennials, broadleaf ground cover plants, shrubs, sub-canopy and canopy trees. Native plantings require little maintenance and no fertilizer. As an added benefit, geese are attracted to manicured lawns but avoid other types of plants.

Finally, the clean look of a green weed free suburban yard on the water's edge may not affect the health of the lake as an individual but the accumulated impact caused by many property owners does.

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ANSWER:    (by Jeff Kante, Superintendent of Highway and Forestry Department, Village of Chenequa)
Introduced from Europe in the 1800's as a horticultural landscape plant, purple loosestrife has rapidly spread from the garden into our shorelines and marshes. Loosestrife is a tall growing plant with an attractive bloom of purple flowers from July to September. It is a highly aggressive plant capable of taking over wetlands. A single stalk can produce from 100,000 to 300,000 seeds with a survival rate of 60-70% . Most seeds fall near the plant but can easily travel long distances via water movement, boats or other human activities.

Wetlands and riparian zones are extremely important ecological areas. Loosestrife can degrade a wetland by displacing native wetland vegetation which support birds and mammals. By law, purple loosestrife is a nuisance species in Wisconsin. It is illegal to sell, distribute, or cultivate the plant or seeds, including any if its cultivars.

Control of this plant is easiest with a small colony of isolated plants. There are three main types of control: mechanical, chemical, and biological.

MECHANICAL CONTROL
Very small plants can be pulled by hand and larger ones require a shovel. Be sure to get the entire root. Remember any exposed soil will allow the dormant seeds to germinate. Mowing and cutting has not been effective.

CHEMICAL CONTROL
Glyphosate herbicides, common commercial name Round-Up/Rodeo can be applied in July or August. Foliage application can be treated with a 1% active ingredient (a.i.) but use the higher concentration of 3-10% a.i. for a cut stem application. Remove and dispose of any cut stalks. Always read and follow the label when using herbicides.

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
Recently there has been promising results using several species of insects which feed exclusively on the purple loosestrife. The WI-DNR in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has introduced these insects from Europe. A specie of root damaging weevil and two species of leaf feeding beetles feed on the loosestrife enough to cause stress and loss of vigor. These biological control methods will not totally remove purple loosestrife but can substantially reduce the population.

The Village of Chenequa has been controlling purple loosestrife in the wetlands between Pine and Mud Lake with chemical application for the last several years. The village has hired a firm specializing in aquatic plant at management. So far the results are encouraging. Many wetland plant species that had been crowded out by the loosestrife have reappeared. If lake property owners on the surrounding lakes voluntarily remove the small colonies of purple loosestrife near the, shores, we may be able to effectively control its spread.

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ANSWER:    (by Jeff Kante, Superintendent of Highway and Forestry Department, Village of Chenequa)
Although burning, pulling and girdling have been used with limited success, the best method is a chemical control. Cutting alone will not kill buckthorn. Without an herbicide application, the plant will sucker out from the stump.

First, be sure the shrub you're about to cut is buckthorn. There are several native species that have dark berries similar to buckthorn. Cut the brush leaving a short stump high enough to locate in brush and grass for spraying.

The Wisconsin DNR has recommended using 20-25% active ingredient (a.i) glyphosata, commercial name -- Roundup. This product can be used on cut stumps during the active growing season with a low pressure hand sprayer. Be sure to ask for the brush killing strength of Roundup and not the less concentrated formula used on grass and weeds.

Another recommended chemical is triclopyr. A ready to use product called "Pathfinder II" has been used by the village forestry department. Again, it is sprayed on the cut stump and can be used during most of the year except during cold winter weather. This product is available through Pro Source One at 1-608-249-8500.

Be sure to read the directions and precautions provided by the manufacturer.

The WI-DNR has an excellent website detailing this and other invasive plants. Please visit their site, at www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/er/invasive/info/naturalareas.htm.

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