Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) is an invasive shrub that is widespread throughout deciduous forests of North America. Major impacts of buckthorn include altered leaf litter decomposition. Buckthorn produces nitrogen-rich litter that decomposes faster than most co-occurring native plants. Increased decomposition can be a part of a self-reinforcing mechanism of invasion since buckthorn benefits more from increased nitrogen availability compared to many native competitors. Active restoration of plant communities following buckthorn management can help resist future invasion. However, little is known about how buckthorn leaf litter affects the decomposition of native grasses used in forest restoration or how those interactions may change over the course of restoration. I asked 1) How does buckthorn affect decomposition of native grasses used in understory restoration? 2) Does the impact of buckthorn litter on grass litter depend on the environment? I investigated these questions through a litterbag experiment in an oak-maple woodland. I decomposed litters of buckthorn, wild rye, and mixtures of both species together in three settings representative of different stages of forest restoration: intact buckthorn stands, areas where buckthorn was removed, and areas where buckthorn was removed and native species were actively restored. Litterbags were collected after 166 and 265 days. By 256 days, I found buckthorn litter had 6% mass remaining compared to 63% for wild rye and that regardless of species, litters decomposed 5% faster in intact buckthorn stands compared to areas where buckthorn was removed. Interactions between litters were also dampened in intact buckthorn stands and in unrestored areas, whereas litter mixtures decomposed synergistically in areas where native plants had been actively restored. My findings suggest that actively restoring plant communities can interrupt some feedback loops between buckthorn abundance and litter decomposition and promote healthier ecosystem function following management.