Buckthorn – East Metro Water

Brown’s Creek winds its way toward cleaner water

By: angiehongmn August 4, 2025

Aquatic Biology, Buckthorn, Keeping water clean, Local Achievements, Partners and UpdatesBrown's Creek State Trail, Brown's Creek Watershed District, featured, fishing, stream restoration, troutLeave a Comment

This summer, the Brown’s Creek Watershed District completes a large-scale stream restoration project, designed to reduce bank erosion, manage floodwaters during large rain events, and improve habitat for fish along a half-mile stretch of Brown’s Creek that flows between McKusick Ave. and the Brown’s Creek State Trail.

Members of the community are invited to view and learn about the Brown’s Creek stream restoration during a tour on Aug. 12 (6:30pm) and a community festival on Sept. 20 (10am-1pm).

Three people stand with their arms around a very large tree

A call for Tree Steward volunteers

By: angiehongmn March 25, 2025March 19, 2025

Buckthorneab, featured, planting, trees, volunteeringLeave a Comment

Minnesota’s Tree Steward program is designed for people who love trees, enjoy being outdoors, and want to volunteer in their community. In addition to caring for community trees, volunteers also help to lead reforestation efforts.

This spring, Washington Conservation District hopes to recruit and train 30-40 Tree Steward volunteers to work in communities across Washington County. There will be volunteer trainings on Saturday, April 5, 9am-2pm at Scandia Community Center and Saturday, April 12, 9am-2pm at Lake Elmo Park Reserve. The events are free and include lunch.

To learn more and sign-up, visit http://www.mnwcd.org/events.

Brown’s Creek takes a few twists and turns for the better

By: angiehongmn May 13, 2024

Aquatic Biology, Buckthorn, Partners and Updates, WildlifeBrown's Creek, featured, fishing, Stillwater, stream restoration, troutLeave a Comment

This week, Brown’s Creek Watershed District begins work on a stream restoration project designed to reduce bank erosion and improve habitat for fish along a half-mile stretch of water that flows between McKusick Ave. and the Brown’s Creek State Trail.

In the battle against buckthorn, patience and plants are winning strategies

By: angiehongmn January 4, 2024January 3, 2024

Buckthorn, Yards and Landscapingbuckthorn, featured, forests, woodlandsLeave a Comment

Critical period cutting shows promise as an herbicide-free control strategy. Research shows it is also important to replant woodlands with native trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses after removing buckthorn.

For love of forests

By: angiehongmn June 23, 2023

Buckthorn, Yards and LandscapingBelwin Conservancy, climate resiliency, featured, forests, Washington Conservation District, woodlands1 Comment

On this evening in June, our group is gathered at Belwin to learn about managing woodlands for resiliency, and one of the key take-aways is that a love of forests requires landowners to actively engage with and care for their forests and woodlands.

Using goats to control buckthorn and other invasive species

By: angiehongmn April 21, 2022April 20, 2022

Buckthorn, Yards and Landscapingbuckthorn, featured, garlic mustard, goats, invasive speciesLeave a Comment

To learn more about managing invasive species with goats, join the East Metro Water Resource Education Program, Washington County Parks, and The Munch Bunch for an outdoor workshop on Tuesday, May 3, 6-7pm at Big Marine Park Reserve.

Tree care and woodland management

By: angiehongmn August 16, 2021

Buckthorn, Yards and Landscapingbuckthorn, drought, featured, forests, trees, woodlandsLeave a Comment

If you are working to remove large areas of buckthorn, MyMinnesotaWoods staff advise that late summer and fall are the best times to cut and treat buckthorn stumps with herbicide in order to prevent regrowth.

Transformation underway at Sunfish Lake Park

By: angiehongmn April 29, 2021April 28, 2021

Buckthornbuckthorn, featured, habitat restoration, invasive plants, invasive species, Lake Elmo, Sunfish Lake Park, woodlandsLeave a Comment

Sunfish Lake Park visitors will immediately notice the changes on site, where contractors and volunteers have been clearing buckthorn since late winter.

New trails highlight major changes at Lake Elmo Park Reserve

By: angiehongmn November 20, 2020

Buckthorn, Outdoor Adventures, Partners and Updates, Wildlifebuckthorn, cross country skiing, featured, goats, habitat restoration, Lake Elmo Park Reserve, Minnesota trails, oak savanna, parks and trails, prairie, Washington County ParksLeave a Comment

This year, Washington County launched a major transformation at Lake Elmo Park Reserve, aided in part by a grant from the Minnesota Outdoor Heritage Fund. The park has added a new parking lot and entrance off of Inwood Ave., created new trails, and began work to restore 166 acres of prairie and oak savanna. On the east side of the park near the Nordic Center, Washington County added 2.2 miles of new ski trails.

Transformation underway at Lake Elmo Park Reserve

By: angiehongmn September 18, 2020

Buckthorn, Partners and Updates, Wildlifefeatured, goats, habitat restoration, Lake Elmo, Lake Elmo Park Reserve, oak savanna, prairie, Washington Conservation District, Washington County, Washington County ParksLeave a Comment

Washington County secured funding through the Outdoor Heritage Fund to restore and improve 166 acres of prairie and oak savanna at Lake Elmo Park Reserve around Eagle Point Lake and in the north end of the park.