Bike Trail Invasive Species

By Gary Wilson

Houston, MN

An article in the July 27 edition of the Fillmore County Journal described efforts to build a bike trail from Preston to Forestville State Park. As a long time user of the Houston extension to the Root River State Trail, I support efforts to create new trails. As a landowner adjacent to the RRST, I offer the following suggestions to landowners considering MN DNR easements for a new bike trail.

If the land is adjacent to a waterway require a survey and do not consider a “floating easement.” A surveyed easement carries less risk to the landowner of future disputes.

Require specific language in the easement that explicitly assigns MN DNR responsibility for controlling invasive species like buckthorn, honeysuckle, wild parsnip and eastern red cedar trees. Currently MN DNR does nothing to control these invasive species in bike trail corridors.

The trail I use the most runs from Rushford to Houston. It has been gradually overrun by invasive species. In a February 14, 2024, response to representative Greg David’s office regarding invasive species in the RRST trail corridor MN DNR said “Given the large amounts of buckthorn and honeysuckle as well as the difficulty in controlling (and preventing reinfestation), removal of those species does not occur with much frequency.” In other words they have given up. They also prohibit volunteers from using power tools to help. This is in stark contrast to Wisconsin where DNR property managers actively recruit and provide training to volunteers.

MN DNR needs volunteer help to fight invasive species. Hopefully they can resolve their liability concerns and adopt the more proactive model used in Wisconsin. Chester Woods Park near Rochester and Eagles Bluff Park in La Crescent are two good examples of a county and city in MN that encourage volunteers to bring their own power tools and experience to help fight invasive species. MN DNR should do the same.