Controlling Invasive Plants in Minnesota

I've gotten many emails from people all over Minnesota looking for guidance or assistance in managing invasive species on their own property. While I may help identify invasive plants (see plant list for starters), how to manage them is not my specialty so here are some good places to get the help you need:

1. Your county Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD). Each county in Minnesota has one, and its main purpose is to provide landowners with conservation services, which includes management of invasive species. They can help identify the pest, advise you on how to control it, provide the tools to do so, and other assistance as needed. The Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (MASWCD) has a list of all the county SWCD web sites. You can make this your first stop in ridding yourself of pest plants.
2. The University of Minnesota Extension Service. There are lots of gardeners in Minnesota (I'm not one) that are interested in the horticultural side of things—growing native plants and keeping the pests at bay. The UM Extension service has a wealth of knowledge on agricultural and environmental subjects they are happy to share. Ask a Master Gardener your questions, find publications on a variety of subjects, or where your closest regional office is.
3. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). They have a whole section on their web site devoted to invasive species (plants and critters) and have been very helpful with queries from the masses. They, too, have many publications on ecological subjects.