Land restoration rarely starts with a blank slate. More often, it begins after something has already gone wrong — tree loss, invasive species taking over, erosion creeping in, and a landowner trying to figure out what comes next.
During a recent consultation, Natural Communities founder Nick Fuller worked with a Midwestern landowner managing a small riverfront property that had undergone heavy disturbance following widespread ash mortality. The conversation touched on a familiar mix of challenges: buckthorn regrowth, reed canary grass, exposed streambanks, and uncertainty around when — and how — to seed.
What follows is a distilled look at the restoration strategy itself — not the property — and the principles that apply to many floodplain and riparian sites across the Midwest.
Start by Reading the Site, Not Rushing the Fix
The property had already been forestry-mowed after buckthorn exploded into the canopy following ash die-off. While the site appeared “clean,” experience tells us that most invasive shrubs will resprout aggressively within the next growing season.
That’s where many projects go off the rails: cutting again and again without addressing the root problem.
Nick’s advice was simple:
Expect regrowth — and plan for it.
Instead of repeated cut-stump treatments, which are time-intensive and disruptive, the recommendation was to wait for resprouts to reach knee height and treat them by spraying the leaves. This approach is more efficient, easier to scale, and far less damaging to the native seedbank hiding belowground.
Herbicide Choice Matters More Than Most People Realize
One of the most important takeaways from the call was matching the herbicide to the long-term ecological goal, not just immediate kill.
While oil-based triclopyr products (like Garlon 4) are effective on stumps, they also:
- move through soil
- volatilize in warm conditions
- damage nearby wildflowers and sedges
- inhibit future native seed establishment
For floodplain and riparian settings, Nick instead recommended:
- aquatic-approved glyphosate for foliar buckthorn control
- or water-based triclopyr (3A) where selective broadleaf control is needed
Glyphosate binds to soil particles and deactivates quickly — a critical distinction when your next step is restoring native vegetation.
Preserve What’s Still Working
Even heavily invaded sites often contain remnant native plants — sedges, spring ephemerals, or old-growth indicators that survived decades of shade and disturbance.
Before spraying, landowners were encouraged to slow down and look for:
- native sedges
- woodland wildflowers
- structural clues that the land once supported diverse habitat
- Good restoration isn’t about starting over. It’s about protecting what’s left and rebuilding around it.
Reed Canary Grass Requires a Different Strategy
Reed canary grass showed up along the creek — no surprise for a flood-prone system. Because upstream sources can continually reintroduce seed, control has to be:
- timed precisely
- repeated as needed
- paired with competitive natives
The recommendation:
- Foliar spray with aquatic-approved glyphosate in mid-May to early June
- Treat before seed set
- Remove any remaining seed heads
Then — and this part is critical — replace it with aggressive native species that spread vegetatively and hold ground.
Stabilizing an Eroding Streambank: Think in Zones
Buckthorn removal often exposes erosion that was previously hidden. In this case, a tall, actively eroding bank required a layered planting approach, not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Nick outlined a simple way to think about streambanks:
- Toe of slope (rocky): Water willow
- Toe of slope (silty): Chairmaker’s rush
- Upper bank & floodplain edge: Aggressive native plugs like cord grass and select Carex species
These plants don’t just grow — they spread, knitting soil together and reducing future maintenance.
Check out a full list of our Midwest River & Stream Warrior Plants
When You’re Not Ready to Seed, Use a Native Cover Crop
Full native seed mixes take time — and patience. For landowners wanting erosion control and visible progress while preparing for long-term restoration, a native cover crop can bridge the gap.
Virginia rye (and similar native ryes) can:
- stabilize soil
- suppress weeds
- tolerate flooding
- establish quickly
- coexist with future seedings
Unlike many native wildflowers, these grasses do not require cold-moist stratification, offering flexibility when spring flooding is a concern.
What to Expect After Seeding (So You Don’t Panic)
The first year after seeding rarely looks pretty. That’s normal.
Nick set realistic expectations:
- Expect annual weeds like ragweed and biennials like garlic mustard
- Focus on controlling height, not eliminating everything
- Mow high (10–24”) several times during the growing season
- Prevent weeds from going to seed
By year three, a well-managed site often reaches 60–75% native cover, with early indicators like black-eyed Susan and native rye signaling success. Grasses tend to dominate later — and that’s a good thing when long-term invasion resistance is the goal.
Restoration Is a Process — Not a One-Season Project
One of the most valuable parts of any consultation is reframing expectations. Restoration doesn’t follow a straight line, and confusion years down the road is normal.
That’s why Natural Communities emphasizes:
- long-term planning
- adaptive management
- follow-up conversations as the site evolves
The goal isn’t perfection — it’s momentum. Build enough ecological strength into the system that it begins doing the work for you.
Thinking About a Project Like This?
Every site is different — but the challenges tend to rhyme. If you’re dealing with invasives, erosion, or uncertainty about where to start, a consultation can help clarify next steps and avoid costly missteps.
Sometimes the smartest move isn’t doing more work — it’s doing the right work, at the right time.
Check out our consulting services: Ecological Consultation for Midwest Landowners