Appendix L
Maintenance Level Guidelines
reinfestation or colonization of other weeds so that loose soil should be tamped down to make a firm surface. Fire A controlled burn will usually top-kill seedlings or small buckthorn trees, but does not eradicate them. In order to control buckthorn by controlled burning, it is essential that fire be continued annually until native (fire-resistant) vegetation has become established. Herbicides There are several herbicides that are very effective in control of buckthorn. One of the most effective is triclopyr (Garlon; Dow Agrochemical). When using an herbicide, it is essential that the label on the package be read completely before use. Basal bark treatment An effective way to control buckthorn is by the use of basal bark treatment with Garlon in oil. Treatment is best done in the late fall or winter when native vegetation has died back and will not be affected. Because buckthorn plants retain their leaves long after native vegetation has lost its leaves, they are readily recognized in the late fall. A concentration of 12-15% triclopyr (active ingredient) in diesel fuel or kerosene is recommended by the manufacturer. Use the herbicide in a backpack sprayer with a nozzle that produces a solid cone or flat fan spray. Spray the lower part of the trunk in such a manner that it becomes thoroughly wet, including the root collar, but not to the point of runoff. Each stem of the plant must be treated. Properly done, this basal bark treatment is extremely effective and the plant will not leaf out the following growing season. Once dead, the plant can be cut and removed, or allowed to stand to rot. Cutting Another very effective way of eradicating buckthorn is to cut the plant just above the ground level and treat the cut stump with triclopyr. It should be emphasized that cutting buckthorn without treating the cut stumps is ill advised, because cut plants will resprout heavily from the roots, leading to a worse situation than if the plant had not been cut at all. The same concentration of triclopyr should be used as for basal bark treatment, but only the cut stump should be treated. It is useful to include a blue or red dye in the herbicide mixture so that the cut stump treatment can be monitored. A backpack sprayer or spray bottle can be used. Be sure that the stump is thoroughly wetted with herbicide. This procedure is economical of herbicide and confines the chemical to the stump itself, but is more labor-intensive than basal bark treatment. However, it has the advantage that the buckthorn plants themselves are being removed from the habitat. Although the cut stump procedure can be used at any time of the year, the fall or winter is preferable because nontarget plants are not affected. Also, this procedure is effective with plants of any size, even large ones. Place all the cut material in a pile for subsequent burning. Basal bark or cut stump? Bark treatment is best in large infected areas, whereas cutting and treating the cut stumps is best in relatively small areas, or in areas of high interest.
http://www.ipaw.org/invaders/buckthorn/index.aspx
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Naperville Park District | 2023 MASTER PLAN
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