Remove Unwanted Buckthorn, Honeysuckle, Knotweed, & More.
Get rid of the impenetrable thickets of brush filled with thorny trees and shrubs that suppress and even eliminate the needed plant diversity for habitats to thrive.
Ecological Restoration Experts
Getting Rid of Invasives with Woodland Clearing Services for Shrubs, Trees, and Woody Menaces
Founded in 1988, Pizzo & Associates is one of the Midwest’s largest ecological restoration firms with over 170 industry awards. We have the experience and know-how to restore natural environments. With ecological restoration, brush removal and clearing is the first significant step. But why?
Invasive Brush Removal
Remove Buckthorn, Honeysuckle, Knotweed, & More.
A critical need in helping with ecological restoration. The key to successful brush control lies in how it’s cut, how it’s disposed of, and how re-sprouting is managed. All these factors have a lasting impact on the overall success of the project.
Winter is an optimal time to tackle these woody menaces. Without the clutter of a full bloom, we can get in there and effectively clear and control these invasive species. By focusing on woody clearing during the colder winter months, we can make the most of the growing season to control herbaceous species and woody re-sprouts, giving them the best chance to thrive.
Invasive Species Control
What are invasive species?
Invasive species are organisms that are not native to a particular area and that cause harm to the environment, human health, or the economy. These species can be shrubs, trees, forbs (plants), grasses, vines, aquatic, animals, fungi, or microorganisms. The introduction of invasive species into new environments often occurs due to human activities, either intentionally or accidentally. Effective management of invasive species often requires a combination of prevention, early detection, rapid response, and control measures to mitigate their impact. Keep in mind complete eradication of invasive species is not possible, it can be kept to a minimum with proper stewardship and maintenance.
Shrubs & Trees
- Tree-of-heaven
- Mimosa
- Autumn olive
- Glossy buckthorn
- Japanese barberry
- Amur honeysuckle
- Morrow’s honeysuckle
- Callery pear (Bradford pear)
- Princesstree
- European buckthorn (common buckthorn)
- Black locust
- Multiflora rose
- Winged burning bush
- Chinese privet
Forbs (Plants)
- Japanese chaff flower
- Garlic mustard
- Musk thistle
- Spotted knapweed
- Canada thistle
- Bull thistle
- Black swallow-wort
- Pale swallow-wort (European swallowwort)
- Common teasel
- Cut-leaved teasel
- Leafy spurge
- Japanese knotweed
- Baby’s Breath
- Giant Hogweed
- Bicolor lespedeza
- Sericea lespedeza
- Crownvetch
Grasses
- Tall fescue
- Giant manna grass
- Japanese stiltgrass
- Reed canarygrass
- Phragmites (common reed)
- Johnsongrass
Vines
- Chocolate Vine (Akebia)
- Oriental bittersweet
- Chinese yam
- Japanese hop
- Japanese honeysuckle
- Kudzu
- Winter creeper
Aquatic
- Flowering rush
- Brazilian egeria/elodea
- Hydrilla
- Purple loosestrife
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- Curlyleaf pondweed
- Narrowleaf cattail
- Hybrid cattail
Invasive Brush Removal FAQ
It is best to tackle the removal of invasive brush in the off-season depending on the weather. Usually between November through March when it will have the least amount of impact on the ground. Ideally, when the ground is harder or frozen.
Our crews will cut all non-native/invasive brush followed immediately by the application of herbicide to the trunk (this is where other contractors fall short). If the herbicide is not applied, the trees will grow right back.
Disposal immediately follows after cutting and herbicide applications. We provide different options for disposal. We can burn it on site either on the ground or elevated to ensure we don’t damage the soil. We can also haul it out to be chipped or we can cut and drop it.
We also perform machine clearing. A large rotary mower is used to grind down trees into mulch. However, we don’t recommend this option for small sites or residential sites.
Most tree companies simply cut and prune trees. Some of the methods can also damage trees long-term. Since our mission is to restore natural habitats, we take the necessary, additional steps to ensure we are looking at the whole ecosystem. Especially since invasive brush removal is a critical first step in natural restoration.
Our crews are highly trained to identify specific species and sometimes we have to reduce types of trees to create more biological balance and diversity. A step other landscape companies will not look at.
Poison ivy is very common and a large concern for many property owners. There are some things we can do to help deal with poison ivy during brush removal but it is actually better to tackle the removal of poison ivy during the growing season which usually falls between April through November.
Poison ivy is not considered an invasive species even though its fast growth is one characteristic of an invasive species. Poison ivy (Toxicondendron radicans) is native to the United States.
Yes. Stewardship is always recommended for property maintenance. This includes seeding, planting, weeding, herbicides, mowing, and prescribed fires.
We have 4 locations with over 90 employees allowing us to service the entire Midwest with a majority of our projects being located in:
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- and more…
Don't Wait!
Secure your winter work now and ensure your environment starts the year healthy
If you’re ready to book or have any questions about our services, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re always here to help you make the best choices for our environment. Complete the form below or call us at (815) 495-2300.