City Holding Buckthorn Dump for Residents

Looking for somewhere to dump all of that pesky buckthorn you just removed from your yard? The City of Edina has a solution.

Edina residents will be able to dump the invasive plant—native to northern Eurasia—across the street from the later this month. The dump site will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22 and 29, and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 23 and 30.

Residents are required to present a valid photo ID with an Edina address to drop off their buckthorn. The brush cannot be bagged, boxed or bundled and must be removed from any container used to transport it before being left at the dump.

Commercial haulers are allowed to deposit buckthorn at the site, but only if they are accompanied by the residents for whom they are working.

According to the Minnesota DNR, buckthorn causes problems for our local ecosystem by:

• Out-competing native plants for nutrients, light and moisture.
• Degrading wildlife habitat.
• Threatening the future of forests, wetlands, prairies and other natural habitats.
• Contributing to erosion by shading out other plants that grow on the forest floor.
• Serving as a host to other pests, including crown rust fungus and soybean aphid.
• Forming an impenetrable layer of vegetation.
• Lacking "natural controls"—insects or disease—that would curb its growth.

Anyone looking for additional information on the buckthorn dump is encouraged to contact Park Maintenance Superintendent Vince Cockriel at 952-826-0305.