Buckthorn Removal Project

The Mens Club has been working since the winter of 2011 to remove Buckthorn from the golf course. We completed the  2021-22 project, which was  our 10th year of work . With the golf course rennovation project underway (Nov 2022), we will puase to see what happens.

Buckthorn is a very invasive plant/tree in our area. Our goal is to eradiacte it from the golf course. Where we encounter it most is on the berms along 14, 16, 17 and 18.

Here are some articles and presentations on what's so bad about it:

• What is Buckthorn 
• Why Invasive Buckthorn is bad for your yard, the environment (Chicago Tribune 5-13-21) 
• Invasive Plant Webinar (Go Green Wilmette): discussion of Buckthorn removal at the Chicago Bontanical Garden and Canal Shores Golf Course.
• Battling Buckthorn Trees (Chicago Tribune Nov 2022)

Here is the chronology of the Buckthorn Removal Project by Year (highlighted areas have descriptions and pictures  linked): 

2021 (Year 10) :  Focus is on the tees and greens:

• 17 green and 17 tee ( black and Blue tees and along the white tees)
• 14 green
• 16 berm left and near green
• 18 near green

2020: (Year 9)  the Year of Covid; some work was completed by solo wokers

2019: (Year 8) 

• a lot of clean up around the course

2018-19  (Year 7) :

• Trim trees on 1 : left bank, left near 10 tee)
• Trim trees left of 3 

2017-18 (Year 6) :  our focus was to trim all the trees on the course up to around 6 feet (to allow mowers easier access as well as allow more sun and wind on the course). 

• Trim up trees on 1,2,10,14,15 and 18
• Trim trees left of 7, right of 12; right of 7 that hang over water
• Trim trees in back of 15 tee, right of ladies tees
• Trim trees left side of 9

 Here is what it looked like when we started:

Top: 17th tee       Middle: Along 17	Top: Workers on 16    Below: Along 18

In the  winter of 2017,

This is the area left of the 2nd fairway (on the hill) :

and the area between the 10th green and 11th tee (during work and after)

2016-17 :Year 5 

• 14 tee (back and to the west)
• Island near 15 green (again: did it in early 2013)
• 16th tee
• 14 berm 
• 18 tee (South)

2015-16: Year 4

• 18 tee (toward south)
• 14 tee (around the pump)
• left of 3 , back of 2 green
• left side of 4th fairway
• Area in back of 14 green
• Trees in back of 16 green

2013-14: Year 3

• 1 on left next to pond (before pump house)
• Along 14 green
• Along 16 green
• Continue on 18th Berm

2012-13: Year 2: pictures

• 17 near the green
• start on the 18th berm
• Between 15 green and 17th tee
• Island near 15 green

2011-12: Year 1 : pictures 

• Focus was on area in back of 18 tee
• the berm along 16
• the 17th tee