Who new?  Cutting Buckthorn is SEXY!

The Buckthorn Man was raised Catholic, so it’s no wonder he didn’t find out.

Yeah, that was me back when I was just learning how to use my chainsaw.

So, when and where did The Buckthorn Man learn the “facts of life”?  You won’t believe it.  It was this past Tuesday, in the Village of Hartland’s Village Board meeting room!  Kevin Thusius, Director of Land Conservation with the Ice Age Trail Alliance, explained that everyone knows it is sexy to cut big buckthorn with a chainsaw, but not so glamorous to do the maintenance required to keep the resprouts and seedlings from resurging.  Ah, ha! now I understand that funny feeling I get when I pull the cord and my chainsaw springs to life…

It was an exciting meeting to say the least.  Kevin is working on a plan, in conjunction with the Village of Hartland, the Waukesha County Land Conservancy, the DNR, and private landowners, to preserve the work I did at the Hartland Marsh from 2004 – 2011.  It’s too bad I didn’t realize how sexy those times were: if only I knew then, what I know now.  I’ll keep you posted as things develop at the Hartland Marsh.

Well, I could hardly contain my enthusiasm this past week as I returned to the east shore of the Ottawa Lake Fen State Natural Area to have a go with some very attractive buckthorn.  I laced my chaps up tight, dabbed a bit of bar oil on my face and neck, wore my helmet cocked stylishly to the left (which I know buckthorn can’t resist), and plunged my chainsaw into the thicket…

Here is how it looked this past Wednesday before the orgy began.

I was soon joined by my randy buddies, Chris, Austin and Andy.

We had a very satisfying day whacking, piling and burning buckthorn.

As you can image, we couldn’t get enough of that hot buckthorn, and we returned on Thursday to find them ready and willing.

Chris found this old automobile and got in the backseat with a shapely buckthorn!

By the end of the day, I was spent…

Sparks were flying.  I think this is the real thing!

See you at The Springs!