Wirth Park

The issue I will be looking at this semester is invasive species in Wirth Park, but more specifically the common and glossy buckthorn in the park’s oak forest and wetland areas and also oriental bittersweet. Minneapolis Boards have been working to protect Wirth Park’s habitat, including the removal of invasive species and the planting of native species. The city works to monitor the park for both of these invasive species and works to control them. Mature oriental bittersweet stems are cut and then treated with an herbicide. In areas of mature buckthorn, workers used forestry mowing, brush sawing, and goat browsing to work to control the invasive species.