Ask Mr. Answer Person: What's being done to stop the spread of black locust trees into the Decorah Prairie Park?

Jim e-mails: "Do you know if there is a prairie management plan to control woody growth on the Community Prairie?  

Mr. Answer Person says: Here's the word from Decorah Parks & Recreation Director Rick Edwards: "The black locust trees invading the prairie are certainly a problem.  Fire, which controls most trees on prairies, does not stop the black locusts, nor does pulling or cutting. 

We are working with DNR district biologist Terry Haindfield to try to eradicate them this fall.
 
We have removed the "seed" trees from the river bank, so hopefully once we get the trees in the prairie removed we won't have the problem again."Ask