One Family. One Forest. A Mission Bigger Than Ourselves.

Our Forests Are Under Attack — And Most People Don’t Even Know It

Bush honeysuckle is an invasive species devastating woodlands across Kentucky and beyond. At WF Ranch in Maysville, we’re restoring our forest — and helping others learn how to reclaim theirs too.

Identify Bush Honeysuckle
How We Can Help

INVASIVE BUSH HONEYSUCKLE IS A SERIOUS THREAT

Amur bush honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) is not just a nuisance plant — it’s an ecological threat that transforms native forests into monocultures of tangled brush and hollow understory.

If left unchecked, honeysuckle chokes out regeneration and pushes forests past the point of natural recovery.

What makes it dangerous?

Steals Light

Leafs out early and shades native plants

Spreads Fast

Birds eat berries and scatter seeds

Chokes Biodiversity

Forms dense thickets that crowd out life

Fire Hazard

Creates dry, flammable undergrowth

Disrupts Soil & Water

Alters ecosystems below the surface

Chemical Warfare

Releases compounds that kill other plants

Steals Light

Leafs out early and shades native plants

Spreads Fast

Birds eat berries and scatter seeds

Chokes Biodiversity

Forms dense thickets that crowd out life

Fire Hazard

Creates dry, flammable undergrowth

Disrupts Soil & Water

Roots alter ecosystems

Chemical Warfare

Releases compounds that kill other plants

WHO WE ARE

We’re a small, family-run operation located in Maysville, Kentucky. After years of ranching in Texas, we returned to Appalachia in 2020 and settled on 30 acres of mixed pasture and woodland.

What we found was unsettling: over half of our forest was blanketed in bush honeysuckle. It had taken over the understory — and little else was growing.
Rather than ignore it, we decided to do something about it.

That effort became WF Ranch – Kentucky, and it’s grown into a deeper mission to restore our land and help others do the same.

Learn More

HOW WE HELP

We started by learning how to remove honeysuckle on our own property — but we quickly realized this issue affects more than just us. Now, we’re sharing what we’ve learned to help other landowners take action too.

What we’re doing:

  • Documenting our removal and restoration process
  • Sharing practical strategies for identifying and managing bush honeysuckle
  • Collaborating with neighbors, landowners, and conservation-minded groups
  • Exploring partnerships with USDA and NRCS (non-funded)
  • Laying the groundwork to launch a nonprofit for education and outreach

We’re not claiming to have all the answers — but we’re committed to being part of the solution.

WHY THIS MATTERS

This isn’t just a plant problem. It’s a legacy problem.

When species like Bradford pear, kudzu, or feral hogs go unchecked, they cause damage that takes generations to undo. Bush honeysuckle is doing the same — silently and persistently.

If we don’t act, we lose:

  • Native tree regeneration
  • Pollinator and wildlife habitats
  • Spring wildflowers and understory plant diversity
  • Fire safety and forest structure
  • Soil stability and long-term land health

Every acre matters.
We call our effort micro-victory conservation — small wins on small parcels that, together, can turn the tide.

How to Identify Invasive Bush Honeysuckle

HOW TO IDENTIFY BUSH HONEYSUCKLE

You can’t stop what you don’t recognize. Here’s how to spot Lonicera maackii in your woods:

Field Characteristics:

  • Growth Pattern: Dense thickets, often under tree canopies, along forest edges, or roadsides.
  • Leaves: Oval with pointed tips, arranged in opposite pairs. Leaf out early in spring and stay green into late fall.
  • Stems: Hollow pith (cut one to confirm). Multi-stemmed base with arching growth.
  • Flowers: White to pale yellow, tubular blossoms appearing in spring.
  • Berries: Small, red, glossy, clustered in pairs — appear in fall.

View the USDA Plant Profile

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