What Is Wisconsin Land Clearing?
Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica and Frangula alnus) is one of the most aggressive invasive species in Wisconsin and Minnesota. It grows fast, leafs out early in spring, and drops berries that birds spread across your property and neighboring land. Once established, buckthorn shades out native plants, destroys wildlife habitat, and is nearly impossible to control without professional intervention.
Why Buckthorn Is So Difficult to Remove
Buckthorn’s root system creates a persistent seed bank in the soil. Even after you cut it, new sprouts emerge aggressively from the stump within weeks. Chemical treatment helps but must be applied at exactly the right time and conditions. Manual pulling works only for small seedlings. For mature stands, mechanical removal with a forestry mulcher is the most effective and efficient solution.
How Forestry Mulching Eliminates Buckthorn
A tracked forestry mulcher can clear an acre of dense buckthorn in a single pass, grinding the entire plant — stems, roots, and all — directly into fine wood chips. This:
- Eliminates the standing vegetation immediately
- Disrupts the root system far better than cutting alone
- Buries seeds under a thick layer of mulch, reducing germination rates dramatically
- Leaves native plants and desirable trees untouched with selective clearing techniques
- Creates a clean slate for native grass or wildflower restoration
After Buckthorn Removal: Restoring Your Wisconsin Land
Once buckthorn is cleared, the key to preventing regrowth is rapid native plant establishment. We recommend seeding with regionally-appropriate native grasses and forbs immediately after clearing to out-compete any buckthorn seedlings that emerge. A follow-up spot treatment in year 2 is often needed for remaining sprouts.
Buckthorn Removal Service Areas in Wisconsin & Minnesota
Aspen Land Management provides professional buckthorn removal across Western Wisconsin and Eastern Minnesota. Whether you have a half-acre woodlot or 50+ acres of buckthorn-dominated understory, we have the equipment and expertise to restore your land.
Get a Free Buckthorn Removal Estimate
Call Aspen Land Management at (612) 578-5099 or contact us online for a free quote on buckthorn removal and land restoration in Wisconsin or Minnesota. We’ll assess the extent of the infestation and recommend the most cost-effective clearing strategy.
Buckthorn Biology: Why Standard Clearing Doesn’t Always Work
Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus) are two of the most tenacious invasive plants in the Upper Midwest. Both species resprout aggressively from root crowns when cut, produce seeds that remain viable in soil for several years, and thrive in the shade conditions that naturally suppress competing native vegetation. A single female buckthorn plant can produce 10,000 or more seeds annually, and birds readily spread seeds to new areas, making untreated buckthorn infestations a continuous re-invasion risk.
For these reasons, effective buckthorn removal requires more than a single cut-and-leave approach. Without treatment of cut stumps or follow-up mechanical control of resprouting, cleared buckthorn areas often have a worse infestation within three to five years than they did before treatment. Aspen Land Management’s clearing programs incorporate this biological reality into our treatment recommendations.
Buckthorn Removal Methods: Pros and Cons
Mechanical Clearing (Forestry Mulching)
Forestry mulching is our primary method for large-scale buckthorn removal on properties with one-half acre or more of infestation. The mulcher processes buckthorn plants completely — top-growth, stems, and smaller root crowns — in a single pass. On dense infestations, a skilled operator can clear one to four acres per day, making it significantly more efficient than hand-cutting programs on comparable ground. The mulched material is left in place as a natural weed-suppressing layer that decomposes within 12-18 months.
The limitation of forestry mulching as a standalone treatment is that it does not prevent resprouting from larger root crowns or germination from the persistent soil seed bank. Most sites that have been mechanically cleared require at least one follow-up treatment 1-2 years later to address resprouting. This follow-up clearing is typically 60-80% less expensive than the initial treatment because vegetation is small and easily processed.
Integrated Mechanical + Herbicide Programs
For landowners seeking maximum long-term control with minimum number of return treatments, combining mechanical clearing with cut-stump herbicide treatment of larger stems (2+ inches diameter) significantly reduces resprouting. Aspen Land Management does not apply herbicides — that work is typically done by a licensed applicator — but we can coordinate with herbicide applicators and structure clearing projects to make stump treatment practical and efficient.
Buckthorn Removal Costs in Wisconsin & Minnesota
Buckthorn removal costs in Western Wisconsin and Eastern Minnesota typically range from $400 to $1,200 per acre depending on infestation density, terrain, and site access. Light to moderate buckthorn infestations (50-70% canopy cover) typically run $400-$700 per acre. Heavy, multi-stem infestations where buckthorn has completely closed the canopy can run $800-$1,500 per acre. All pricing is site-specific and based on a free on-site assessment.
Grant Programs for Buckthorn Removal
Minnesota and Wisconsin both offer cost-share programs for invasive species management on private land. The NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) can fund up to 50-75% of eligible buckthorn removal costs on qualifying agricultural and conservation land. County-level programs through Washington County MN and St. Croix County WI also periodically offer cost-share incentives. Contact your local NRCS or county extension office to assess eligibility for your specific property and project scope.
Contact Aspen Land Management for a free on-site buckthorn assessment and removal quote. We serve properties throughout Western Wisconsin and Eastern Minnesota.