Got free tar paper from a building project, lots of it...
I have a large area that I want to stop invasive alders and bush from growing. I will cut these down as can do this more easily now because leaves are not out yet. Once cut I just want the place to stop growing them, or, at least allow a bit of leeway.
I can hardly get through paths any longer.
I can't afford stone or something to cover the "paths" once I get rid of the bush right now, also the time work involved, all the material has to go over a stone wall.
Questions:
Is this a possible solution?
Is tar paper harmful to the earth?
If I don't put anything on it... dirt etc... apart from some bricks to hold it down, will it just eventually break down and I will have plain old dirt there which is what I want and with trampling will remain like old pathways.

I think the family will have to stay of it for quite a period as I feel it will break underfoot but in the meantime will be killing the vegetation as light can not get to it

After that I can keep it up with regular maintenance.
Is landscape fabric a better option, just hate not to be able to use up the tar paper.

All suggestions will be appreciated.

I heard of a guy that used plastic with soil over it and left it for a while which made a moist area underneatha and harmfull mold started to form there

I don't think it will break down any time soon

The paper part will break apart but the tar will last as long as roof shingles, or asphalt roads. Tar is an oil-base product and doesn't break down easily.

We get many seedling trees growing in our lawn every year from the little nuts dropped from the trees our yard. I kill them using a regular weed killer. If you spray it on them once every one or two weeks during the Spring you can stop the new trees from growing. I buy the concentrate (Weed-B-Gone) and dilute it in a gallon milk jug and then pour the diluted mix into a hand-held spray bottle. Also, because I spray for weeds regularly, I have purchased a quality spray bottle from Home Depot - found it in their cleaning supplies section. You may want to consider doing the same.

If your path isn't too long, you can use a spray bottle. If you have a large area, I would use a 2 or 3-gallon pump sprayer.

You could also use a more heavy-duty vegetation killer. Ortho Ground Clear (http://www.ortho.com/index.cfm/event/ProductGuide.product/documentId/2B241F8BA926C92D9E6EDF906BFA1F0C)is specifically meant for killing all vegetation growing in paths or walkways or gardens. Check out the link for product info.