Faced with a rampaging invasive plant species, Billings, Montana, is paying plant removal experts to remove the plants.
The plan is good news for Billings homeowners, as they can now get their invasive buckthorn weeds removed for free and even get reimbursed up to $100 for replacement shrubs, KULR8 reported. The city received a $25,000 grant from the Montana Department of Agriculture to deal with the invasive species.
The city is calling its plant removal experts, somewhat dramatically, "buckthorn slayers." Buckthorn is native to Europe and West Asia, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Invasive Species Information Center. It was introduced to North America as an ornamental sometime in the early 19th century. It spreads easily and forms dense stands that crowd out native plant life.
One new homeowner recently shared that they discovered buckthorn growing all around and suffocating an entire crabapple tree.
Buckthorn is also harmful to local animals, as its berries contain no real nutritional value but act as a laxative. After animals eat the berries, they spread the plant all over the place via its seeds.
Paying plant experts to remove an invasive species is far from the wildest approach that cities have taken. Last year, researchers at Michigan State University released nearly 40,000 wasps to combat a tiny fruit fly that was threatening crop harvests. Other plant control experts have brought in goats to eat up all the invasive plants.
Whenever you are planting something new in your garden, whether it's a new shrub to replace the buckthorn removed by the Billings buckthorn slayers or otherwise, it is important to research to confirm that you choose a native species that will fit into the ecosystem and not take over your entire yard.
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