Buckthorn Removal Events

Friends of Minnehaha Park hosts Buckthorn Removal and Environmental Restoration Events throughout the year (weather permitting) at regular times.

The big news is that we are changing our Saturday meet up time to Saturday mornings in order to capture the coolest part of the day for our work. Wednesday events will continue in the evenings.

• Saturdays, 10:00AM to 12:00PM

• Wednesdays, 6:00PM to 8:00PM

We have a lot of work to do that is maintenance, especially ongoing pruning of buckthorn resprouts, which must be done at least twice per season and for two to three years. This is the research-based technique that was developed by a partnership of local environmental restoration experts that was led by Friends of the Mississippi River with funding support from the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) and in coordination with the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board and the Longfellow Community Council.

The technique is called “Critical Period Cutting,” and is necessary as the Minneapolis Park Board prohibits the use of herbicides by volunteers.

Since 2023, Friends of Minnehaha Park has sponsored a host of volunteer restoration events and committed 1782 volunteer hours to remove buckthorn and help restore 5.34 acres along the Lower Glen Trail.

Our thanks to the many devoted volunteers, who take time from their schedules to support this community effort to eliminate invasive plants and restore the natural environment at Minnehaha Regional Park! We hope you’ll join us at the next event!