08 August-September 2025 Arden Hills Notes

Home Browse Search

6 • Arden Hills Notes • Aug/Sept 2025 Living with Wildlife in Arden Hills Deer Deterrent Tactics and Plants Each year, the Arden Hills Public Works Department receives several phone calls regarding deer on private property. While some residents enjoy seeing the wildlife in their yard, others have expressed frustration because their plants and landscaping have been devoured. Unlike other backyard friends, such as squirrels, birds and opossums, deer will eat just about anything if they are hungry enough. If you notice deer exploring your yard a little too often, here are some suggestions to help peacefully deter deer. 1. Fencing: Install a sturdy fence up to six feet tall around your yard. 2. Deer-Resistant Plants: Incorporate plants and shrubs that deer tend to avoid into your landscaping. 3. Repellents: Use natural or commercial repellents with scents that deer find unappealing. 4. Noise Deterrents: Hang wind chimes, tin cans or windsocks around your yard. 5. Secure Compost and Trash: Ensure your compost pile and trash cans are securely covered. Perennials:• Bee Balm• Catmint• Coneflowers• Irises• Lavender• Peonies• Sage Shrubs:• Blackberry• Boxwood• Holly• Honeysuckle• Lilac Deer resistant plants Feeding Wildlife Arden Hills is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including turkeys, geese, squirrels, raccoons and more. Many of these animals thrive in suburban areas where once rural land has been developed, creating ideal conditions to find shelter and food. While it may be tempting to feed wild animals, city ordinance does prohibit the feeding of wild animals, except for wild birds. In addition, the Wildlife Services strongly advises against it. Most wild animals have very specific diets, and feeding them the wrong food can lead to malnutrition or even death. Additionally, animals that become accustomed to human interaction often lose their natural fear of people and may become aggressive. Bird feeders are a favorite among nature lovers, nearly 60 million Americans maintain them, but they come with risks. Feeders not only attract birds, but other wildlife such as the animals mentioned above. Bird feed needs to be placed in a bird feeding device at a sufficient height or designed to prevent access by wild animals. Feeders can contribute to the spread of disease among birds and increase the likelihood of window collisions. An alternative to feeders is planting native shrubs and bushes that provide natural food sources throughout the winter. Winterberry, Mountain Ash, Sumac and Redosier Dogwood are native to Minnesota and produce berries that birds love. To learn more about living with wildlife, visit cityofardenhills.org/Wildlife. Buckthorn Clean Up at Floral Park The City of Arden Hills and Great River Greening have teamed up to remove buckthorn trees throughout the city. Recently, a large area of buckthorn was removed at Floral Park. A brush mower was used to mow areas of “resprouts” and new trees. Large piles of the trees will be present until they can be properly disposed of this winter. Foliar spray will take place this fall to add nutrients back to the soil, which has been depleted due to buckthorn. Buckthorn is an invasive, rapid growing tree that consumes forested areas. It is detrimental to landscapes as it degrades the soil quality, can causes erosion, overtakes native plants and vegetation, and its berries have no nutritional value to birds. Birds pass the berry seeds quickly resulting in further spread of the plant. Unfortunately, cutting buckthorn trees will not stop the growth. Resprouting happens at the stump and the tree continues to grow. To prevent regrowth, the roots of smaller trees must be pulled from the ground. Larger, more established trees should be cut as low to the ground as possible and treated with herbicides that have a high glyphosate concentrate. Learn more buckthorn and how to remove it at: cityofardenhills.org/1172/Buckthorn