AUTHORS: Kristin Floress*, US Forest Service; Allison Frederick, Lake County Forest Preserves; Paul Gobster, US Forest Service
ABSTRACT: The Lake County Forest Preserves in northern Illinois is engaging in strategic projects to eradicate common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) – a woody invasive plant that crowds out and replaces native plants - from the county. One such project is located at Middlefork Savanna, a Forest Preserve property in Lake Forest that is surrounded by private property. Recognizing that buckthorn eradication must occur beyond public land boundaries in order to be successful, the Forest Preserves partnered with US Forest Service Northern Research Station social scientists to understand the best ways of working with residents to control buckthorn at a landscape scale. The Forest Preserves surveyed nearby landowners to understand the extent to which buckthorn exists on residential properties, owners’ past actions and future intent with regard to removal, and factors that could constrain or facilitate these actions. In this presentation, we discuss results of the survey along with how Lake County Forest Preserves is using the information to inform their outreach efforts and support behavior change related to buckthorn among private landowners in the county.
Wednesday April 11, 2018 2:30pm - 2:45pm CDT
Spire Parlor