At Great River Greening, a lot of our restoration work begins with invasive species removal, but clearing out these aggressive plants is only step one. Once the buckthorn has been removed, how do we ensure it’s gone for good? And how can we establish native plant communities that can outcompete invasives? In conversation with Alex Bahr, a Metro Project Manager, we explore a few strategies to bring a native ecosystem back after buckthorn takes over.

Thirty years of Great River Greening, and we made every moment count. 2025 was a year of both unprecedented obstacles and record-breaking achievements, thanks in no small part to the support of our amazing community. Last year, you showed up with the highest engagement numbers we’ve ever seen, helping us to restore more acres than ever before. We’ve tallied up some of our biggest wins to celebrate an amazing year and to get excited about the year ahead.