On the till plains of the southwestern Ohio's Mad River Valley I have a foursquare on a sizable wooded lot (a 5000 sq ft backyard) of parkside property in need of a serious makeover. There are three ancient and stately Lindens (80+ ft in height) that are nothing shore of landmarks, in perfect health on the east side. These seem to be original to the area before or just as it was developed in the 1940's. Tertiary growths of Linden, Ash, some Boxwoods and Sugar Maples, and an occasional Walnut form a brake along the rest of the border towering into a soothingly high canopy of cool shade with dappled sunlight throughout the day over a former lawn now resistant to turf grass. The challenge is that the understory is dominated by Buckthorn, Amur Honeysuckle and wild grapevine. I can deal with the garlic mustard, nettles and poison ivy, conducting controlled burns on the (forest) floor of the relatively flat site.

What is the best way to successfully irradicate the thickets of unwanteds from around the trees I hope to keep?

The plan is to eventually install native woodland forbs and shrubs with the goal of making this property a fine mini-nature preserve in it's own rite.