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From: nat This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0029_01CF84F1.99B53C50 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable RE: [NatureNS] Glossy BuckthornHi Again, The Acadian origin applies to NS. In general it likely would have = been earliest settlers. The first Flora of NS (Roland, 1944) Says; = "Scattered shrubs are found about some of the towns, as Wolfville & = Truro. South of Amherst it occurs along the roadside and has spread into = a pasture where it grows like alder bushes." The second (Roland & Smith, = 1964) says the same;verbatim. John Erskine (1975) recognized the Acadian = connection. He was not always correct (Who is ? He said that Rhamnus sp. = were used as hedges; not so because cattle graze them bald. And the = widespread rural practice pre 1960 of nearly everyone having one or two = cows I suspect kept it from spreading.) but it is surely no coincidence = that all known stations in his time had Acadian associations. Rhamnus these days is just another mine canary. NS sits in the = exhaust pipe of Eastern North America and this air pollution coupled = with erratic weather is tough on trees and probably other vegetation. It = is just hard not to notice when a White Pine or Red Spruce goes into = decline when it should have the vigor of youth. And especially difficult = when large areas are affected, e.g. Annapolis Valley. When a sun-loving = plant invades the 'shade' of coniferous woodland you will likely see a = sparse canopy if you look up and dead trees if you look ahead. There is a world of difference between fall and August. Cutting in = the fall is sure to be followed by vigorous suckering. Cutting woody = perennials in August if you wish to killl or discourage them is not my = recipe. I learned this at least 70 years ago as common knowledge in this = neck of the woods. To kill Speckled Alder this way takes patience but = eventually even it will succomb. But don't take my word for it. Just try cutting in August or if so = inclined then lay out a bare bones replicated trial; e.g. 3 blocks, 4 = plots in each assigned at random to a) cut mid-August, b) cut = mid-September, c) cut mid-October and d) control. In each plot count = seedlings, whips (<5 mm diam.) and stems. Cut as low to ground level as = possible. Count suckers a year later.=20 When a have a few spare minutes in North Alton I will take some = digitals.. Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville =20 =20 ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Donna Crossland=20 To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20 Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2014 5:36 PM Subject: RE: [NatureNS] Glossy Buckthorn Glossy buckthorn spread has been attributed mainly to the = (unregulated) nursery industry, sold as a rather showy ('glossy') shrub = that was planted near homes. In all of the scientific publications I = have read, I have not seen any reference to the Acadians. Perhaps they = brought some, but most of the buckthorn arrived far more recently. The = more recent horticultural plantings, followed by recent disturbances = from accelerated forest harvesting and land clearing are helping it = spread much more rapidly now. Some of the oldest buckthorn around the = Caledonia area are ~30-40 years of age. =20 I have cut it in the fall and had it spring back up. There are = countless research papers on the topic of glossy buckthorn control = because of its incredible resilience. No one has yet found an easy fix. = Cutting has been tried repeatedly in both Canada and US without = success. Autumn is precisely the time when I do cut stump treatments. = Unfortunately waiting until fall allows it to produce an entire season = of fruit if it is a mature plant. I have now revised my strategy to lop = off the tops (with flowers and fruit) early, then returning to make a = fresh stump cut in the fall to follow up with a small chemical treatment = on the cut stem. While small plants can be pulled out easily, mature = plants are nearly impossible to pull, even with a fancy weed wrench. =20 =20 Unfortunately, I have also seen it grow in great multitudes in the = understory of intact white pine forest, deep in the shade. All it = needs is an uprooting event, or some form of canopy gap to spring forth = and occupy a newly opened space. One scientific paper describes how it = 'may' eventually be outcompeted in the shaded growth of hemlock forest. = That gives some hope, but our current forest practices no longer seem to = allow forests to mature and attain canopy closure. Fens and riversides = offer plenty of light for buckthorn growth, eventually pushing out = important and sometimes rare native species. =20 =20 Conclusion: Aggressively eradicate this plant wherever found. = Perhaps one day in the future we will have better long-term solutions = that do not involve chemical use. Meanwhile we need to control it as = best possible in order to protect native biodiversity. If control is = successfully achieved over its propensity to stump-sucker by simply = cutting the plant at precisely the correct time, we should herald the = method and carefully document success so that others may follow suit. = Protected area managers and many others will want your 'recipe'.=20 =20 We were the cause of this plant's introduction, so we should at least = try to undo our own damage. =20 =20 Donna Crossland =20 From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca = [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On Behalf Of David & Alison = Webster Sent: June-09-14 2:12 PM To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Glossy Buckthorn =20 Hi Donna & All, I am talking about Rhamnus frangula AKA, Frangula alnus & Glossy = Buckthorn. =20 Cutting most woody perennials, including Glossy Buckthorn, off at = the wrong time is quite ineffective as you say.=20 =20 But for cutting to have maximum effect they should be cut off at = the right time; just after current photosynthates have been spent = growing shoots, roots and fruit but before downward flow into roots for = storage commences. For most woody plants here August is safe. =20 And they do flop over when stands become dense especially if there = are full scale trees nearby. They expend too much energy keep leaves in = sunlight and not enough in stem diameter. If by chance a bunch become = bent over by snow or ice it is game over. =20 =20 This plant was brought over by the Acadians probably as a source = of good porous charcoal for gunpowder. Do you not find it curious that = it has become a 'pest' only in recent decades ? Why did it just sit = around hatching evil plans for nearly 400 years ? =20 Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Donna Crossland=20 To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20 Sent: Monday, June 09, 2014 12:13 PM Subject: RE: [NatureNS] Glossy Buckthorn =20 I've worked with glossy buckthorn for several years now. Glossy = buckthorn that is merely cut down will absolutely regro