One of the resources of the Fairfax County Park Authority is the office that works to reduce the alarming spread of invasive species in the natural habitats of the county. On Thursday evening, March 28, Jason Roberson, Natural Resource Specialist with the Park Authority, discussed the county's programs, the reasons why invasive species are so destructive, and how residents can volunteer to reduce the problem.

A healthy forest is a working collaboration of the sun, plants, and animals. A natural forest is highly diverse with native species. The sun provides the energy for growth of plants and trees, which are in turn used by animals, insects, and other creatures. All three "players" sustain an ecological balance.

A severe imbalance exists in our area as a result of three principal factors--overpopulation of deer, who eat all the undergrowth; invasive/non-native plants that choke out native ones; and "foreign" insects that gobble up native plants and trees and kill them. Examples of invasive plants are pachysandra, English ivy, and bamboo, but there are many more, and local nurseries and home stores sell many non-native plants. Examples of non-native insects are the gypsy moth, emerald ash borers, and many others from other continents and other regions of the country. It's easy to see their damage--a line of trees laid bare up to a certain height by deer, ivy engulfing and slowly killing large trees, and gypsy moth larvae munching away on leaves. When areas are cleared for roads or new developments, the bare areas are welcome mats for the invasive species.

What You Can Do 

Attendees learn about invasive plants.

What can you do personally to help restore natural areas suffering from stripped growth, invasive insects and plants, loss of ecological balance, and dwindling sources of food for birds and animals?

First, don't move firewood from place to place. Use it where you cut it. Second, wash off your shoes before and after you visit a local park. Stay on trails in natural areas, and plant only locally native species in your yard and garden. Contact the Fairfax County Stewardship folks to get more information on which plants are invasive, and prepare your yard accordingly.

Finally, you can volunteer to remove invasive species and to plant native species in the county! The Invasive Management Area (IMA) Volunteer Program sponsors many programs that bring groups and individuals together to remove invasive growth from the woods and parks in Fairfax. The IMA now manages over 35 acres in the county. Take a look at the IMA website, and then click on the calendar. There are frequent events that turn into enjoyable days meeting new people and helping the environment. The IMA provides all supplies and tools, plus lots of assistance and encouragement. You can also become involved in preserving a single area, each of which has a volunteer site leader to coordinate with the IMA office and organize events. The IMA also sponsors programs on Earth Day (April 21), Global Youth Service Day (April 27), and a series of events for Take Back the Forest month (April), plus many more throughout the year.

Finally, think and reflect before you do that landscaping, buy those plants, and clear that area. You may be making things rather pretty, but in the process doing more harm than good. Take some time to learn ways to minimize invasive species, and join a group event this summer!

By Carol Ann Hall