European Bird Cherry Trees in Alaska Up for Weed Whacking in Statewide Battle Against Invasives

In Alaska, locals are busily weed-whacking in the fight against invasive species, and despite how attractive they may be, European bird cherry trees are on their list of invasives to get rid of.

European Bird Cherry Trees in Alaska

Homeowners in Anchorage happily planted flowering European bird cherry trees not too long ago. Their lawns looked wonderful with the white bloom buds of the trees.

On August 19, nevertheless, a horde of volunteers converged on a nearby park to extricate them.

Organizing the invasive plant "weed smackdown" at Tikishla Park were members of the Alaska Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area.

Invasive plants are those that are not native to the local ecosystems in which they are found. As a result of these plants' competition with native vegetation, which wildlife depends on for habitats and food, various organizations in Alaska are taking time to battle these invasives.

A total of 62 volunteers had signed up for the activity, and all of the trees they removed will be mulched. This particular event is not the cooperative's first nor will it be the last.

Alaska is now home to a large number of exotic plants. Other priority species for those attempting to control invasive plants include orange hawkweed, thistle, and knotweed.

From Decorative to Invasive

One organization that concentrates on the issue and solutions is the Alaska Invasive Species Partnership. The collaboration has been operating as a non-profit for about 20 years.

Other organizations are working to combat these invasive species in addition to the cooperation.

A lot of the work is being done, especially with invasive plants, at the local level with Soil and Water Conservation Districts, according to Gino Graziano, a University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service invasive plant specialist.

The elimination of European bird cherries, commonly referred to as chokecherries, should be a primary priority. The trees were first introduced, by specialists, in the 1950s. The decorative trees could endure in Alaska and were hardy.

The reason why Alaskans have been planting them for a long time, according to Graziano, a board member for the Alaska Invasive Species Partnership, is because they are obviously attractive and moose normally don't eat them.

According to specialists, it wasn't until the early 2000s that people began to understand that it had been a mistake to introduce them to Alaska.

These trees are more harmful than beneficial, despite their attractive appearance.

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Dangers of Invasive Plants

According to Graziano, when invasive trees are established in local forests, they tend to spread by their roots, branches, and seeds as well as through their fruit, creating these kinds of deep shades that prevent the emergence of many other plants.

These add a fresh layer of shadow, which causes the ferns, cranberries, and currants that normally cover the forest floor to wither.

The issue is not limited to Anchorage. Invasive plants can kill Alaskan animals in addition to having a negative impact on the forest ecology.

When it comes to the European bird cherry, this impact can be severe.

According to Dr. Kimberlee Beckmen, a veterinarian with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, there are a few instances of moose dying after ingesting that plant's toxin each year.

According to Beckmen, moose that browse on the leaves under specific circumstances are quickly killed by cyanide poisoning.