Woodbury volunteers came together with Great River Greening on Saturday to remove buckthorn from the land around Powers Lake.

The city helped recruit volunteers for the Powers Lake Restoration Event, which was aimed at getting rid of buckthorn, an invasive species of plant that is circling the lake.

Buckthorn came up under the DNR question of the week.

Q: Buckthorn has become a major problem throughout the state. Can planting native species help suppress the growth of buckthorn, especially after buckthorn is removed from an area?

A: Depending on the circumstances, restoring native plant species after buckthorn removal may help suppress the regrowth of buckthorn. Without follow-up control of resprouting plants and seedlings that emerge after initial control, buckthorn will come right back. Buckthorn seeds in the soil can remain viable for up to five years. As a result, it is essential to monitor and manage buckthorn stands each year to suppress its growth and allow native plants to establish.

The best time to cut and chemically treat the stumps is in late summer and throughout the fall. Control methods are available on the DNR website at: www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/woody/buckthorn.