Students Seek Help to Clear Buckthorn From Land

David Messerschmidt and Tracy Kapraun asked for and will receive the ’s help, but they’re going to need a few more helping hands on Saturday. The two are co-presidents of LZHS Interact and they, along with about 50 other members of the group, will be clearing buckthorn from six acres of land at W. Flynn Avenue, W. Northwest Highway and W. Cuba Road in Barrington.

“Buckthorn is an invasive species (of tree or small shrubs) with no purpose and no nutritional value to wildlife,” Messerschmidt explained to Rotary Club members at their meeting on Friday.  “We came here today to hopefully get volunteers.” The club pledged to send some members to help.

Citizens for Conservation (CFC) recently purchased the land that is to be cleared. They want to restore it to natural prairie land. If your hand represented the entire state of Illinois, the tip of your pinky equals how much natural prairie land is left in the state, Messerschmidt explained. CFC helps protect 2,500 acres of land and has successfully petitioned four forest preserves.

“We will remove the buckthorn with loppers, bow saws and large cutters,” explained Kapraun. Then there will a continuous bonfire to burn out what remains of the buckthorn. The roots of the buckthorn have to be dug out, otherwise it will grow back.

Buckthorn is one of the first plants to start to grow after winter, so it needs to be removed now. It was introduced into North America from Europe. The area will be cleared from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Feb. 26 with a second work date scheduled from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, March 20.

Participants are encouraged to wear warm boots, thermal underwear, clothes, hats and work gloves. Those with loppers, cutters or bow saws should bring them. Safety goggles will be provided.

Hot dogs, hot chocolate and bonfires will be provided on both work days. Those interested in volunteering should e-mail LZHS Interact through the club’s website at www.lzhsinteract.org.

Because there is limited parking in the area, volunteers will be parking their vehicles at Good Shepherd Hospital with caravans to take workers to the site. Volunteers also may be dropped off W. Northwest Highway, W. Flynn Creek Drive and W. Cuba Road. CFC members will help direct traffic to the drop off point and the work site. A map of the drop off site is available at: tinyurl.com/lzhsinteractcfc

LZHS Interact is a service club at Lake Zurich High School that focuses on making the school, the community and the world a better place. There are 200 members of the club.