Protecting Native landscapes in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa: A Landowner’s Guide

Our native landscapes—from the rolling hills of the Driftless Area to our deep hardwood forests—are facing a quiet but aggressive transformation. Invasive species like Common Buckthorn, Multiflora Rose, and Garlic Mustard are no longer just "weeds"; they are ecosystem transformers that threaten the health, biodiversity, and economic value of your land.

The Scale of the Challenge

Data from regional Extension services and the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) highlights a stark reality for landowners in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa:

• Pervasiveness: In recent statewide inventories, invasive plants were observed on over 90% of monitored forest plots. In many regional forests, Common Buckthorn alone can account for over one-third of all standing trees.

• The "Green Desert": These species create dense, even-aged thickets that block up to 95% of sunlight from reaching the forest floor, preventing the growth of the next generation of Oak, Walnut, and Hickory seedlings.

• Biological Warfare: Species like Garlic Mustard use "allelopathy," releasing chemicals into the soil that kill the beneficial fungi native trees need to thrive.

• Agricultural Impact: Buckthorn serves as the primary overwintering host for the soybean aphid, meaning an infestation in your woods can directly impact the yields of neighboring farm fields.

Our Approach: Restoring Balance

Controlling these species requires more than a "one and done" treatment. At Diversity Landworks, we integrate prescribed grazing, prescribed fire, and strategic mechanical clearing to mimic natural disturbance cycles, depleting the energy of invasive root systems while encouraging native resilience.

Landowner Resource Library

The following resources provide the scientific backing and technical data used by professionals to manage invasive species in our region.

Minnesota Resources

• UMN Extension: Invasive Species Identification
  The definitive guide for Minnesota landowners to identify terrestrial and aquatic invaders. Includes the "Cover It Up" research project, which explores using native plants to prevent buckthorn re-establishment.

• Minnesota DNR: Buckthorn Management
  A comprehensive overview of buckthorn biology and various control methods, including timing for mechanical and chemical treatments.

Wisconsin & Iowa Resources

• UW-Madison: Woodland Info - Invasive Plants
  Provides deep dives into how invasive shrubs impact timber value and forest health, including the "Invasive Plants of the Upper Midwest" field guide.

• Iowa State Extension: Natural Resource Invasives
  Contains the Iowa Woodland Invasive Species Inventory, which tracks the density of the "Big Four" (Buckthorn, Honeysuckle, Garlic Mustard, and Multiflora Rose) across the state.

• Ruffed Grouse Society: Managing Invasive Shrubs for Wildlife
  Information on how invasive thickets provide "sub-optimal" habitat for birds and how restoration improves hunting and wildlife viewing.

Regional Management Tools

• Midwest Invasive Plant Network (MIPN)
  A collaborative regional hub that offers the Invasive Plant Management Decision Analysis Tool, helping landowners decide which control methods are most cost-effective for their specific site.

• USDA Forest Service: FIA National Invasive Species Dashboard Technical data and mapping tools that show the spread of invasive species across the North Central United States over the last two decades.