The men and women of VFW Post 425 in Hopkins are coming to Birch Island Woods in Eden Prairie on Saturday, May 3. Their mission is to remove and pile up buckthorn for city park crews to haul away.
Buckthorn is an aggressive tree-shrub that chokes out Minnesota forest plants, saplings, insects, birds, and fungi.
“It’s our annual National Service Day,” said Post member and lifelong Eden Prairie resident Tommy Johnson, a seasoned buckthorn puller. “Twenty-nine posts across Minnesota – from Benson to Wabasha – are continuing the VFW tradition of giving to our communities. Nationwide, there are now 1,485 service projects scheduled.”
Johnson and his platoon of local vets want “civvies” to join them. The pulls, he says, are fun and neighborly. They, along with garlic mustard pulls and wildflower and seedling projects, provide a way for folks to invest a few hours every so often into the health of their local open spaces.
“I like to call buckthorn pulling ‘a workout in the woods.’ It is honest physical labor that benefits the community by keeping invasive species at bay in our neighborhoods” said veteran Kristy Janigo, who manages a Post 425 Relief Fund for homeless veterans.
“This is a great event to kick off this year’s buckthorn eradication efforts,” said Birch Island Woods park steward Jim Millin, who will lead the Saturday pull.
Volunteers should meet at the conservation area’s parking lot on Indian Chief Road at 10 a.m. Participants are encouraged to dress for the weather and bring yard work gloves and sturdy shoes. The City of Eden Prairie and Friends of Eden Prairie Parks will supply the necessary tools, with Birch Island Woods park steward Jim Millin providing instructions on their use.
If you plan to attend or have questions, contact Tommy Johnson at TwoPutTommy@gmail.com or Jim Millin at JWMillin@comcast.net.
For more information, visit the Friends of Eden Prairie Parks website or check out VFW Post 425 on Facebook.
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