As we celebrate our country's 250th birthday, consider the amazing fact that Fairfax County has trees that are also that old, if not older. The forest of Hemlock Overlook Regional Park in Clifton has been recognized as an old growth forest with trees at least 250 years old and was included in the National Old Growth Forest Network. Other trees on private property may be even older. However, Hemlock Overlook is not immune to the invasive plant problem. Autumn Olive and other species are steadily encroaching. Our community will need to step forward to save this and all our parks and green spaces. As we look forward to our next 250 years, Fairfax Tree Rescuers PRISM is working to give all of Fairfax County's trees their best chance to reach a ripe old age and continue to provide shade, shelter, and food to the county's wildlife and enjoyment to its residents.
Grants for invasive plant removal - please spread the word. Have you spotted any bad invasive plant problems on community common land or on faith community property? Please let the owners know that mini-grants are available to help them get started with management. Most people don't realize that non-native vines on trees are a very bad thing or that Callery Pear and Tree-of-Heaven are undesirable, so we need everyone who does know to pass on information about this program. https://www.fairfaxprism.org/en-us/take-action/grants
Secondary School Teachers and Parents - Could you be our liaison to the PTA/PTO/PTSA? Parents are always interested in hearing about service hour opportunities for their children. We need someone from each school to get announcements out about our tree rescue blitzes twice a year. For example, last November an announcement went out to the McLean High School community, and over a hundred people showed up to rescue trees in one park! Email
Calling all creative people: Make a zine? Imaginative graphics are better at engaging people than all the words in the world. How about trying your hand at a zine to inspire people to join the Fairfax Tree Rescuers movement? If that sounds like something you could do, let us know so we can work with you on the themes we’d like to cover.
Save the date!
We're looking forward to holding our next Fall Extravaganza over the four weekends of October. We'll have additional information in this newsletter and on our website.
Our Progress
Over the last month, volunteers reported 50 tree rescues. That's a lot, considering the heat and the holiday. July is always a slow month, but a lifesaving one for those 50 trees. The pace will pick up again soon.
Goats and sheep to the rescue
There's more than one way to clear invasive plants! In June and July Historic Blenheim, in the City of Fairfax, enlisted a herd of goats and sheep to clear invasive underbrush from the property. The goats and sheep are both nimble and voracious, making them ideal "living lawnmowers" able to clear areas of dense vegetation. Learn more about their efforts here.
Organizing a tree rescue? Expand your reach.
We would love to help you get the word out. If you are organizing a tree rescue, we would be happy to include it on our website; contact us here.
Know your native vines: Poison Ivy
"Leaves of three, let it be." You've probably heard this bit of folk wisdom about poison ivy, and for good reason; the oils on the leaves can cause quite an itch! But despite its fearsome defenses, poison ivy has some plus sides. As a native species, its leaves provide food for caterpillars and its berries provide food for birds in wintertime. It offers lovely autumn color and as an aggressive pioneer species, it offers competition to non-native plants. Click here to learn more about poison ivy.
While our emphasis at Fairfax Tree Rescuers PRISM is on removing non-native vines from our trees and landscapes, there are many native vines that evolved alongside our trees that do not harm the trees and provide benefits to the ecosystem. These should not be removed. It’s important to distinguish between the harmful, non-native vines and the beneficial native ones.
Know your invasives: Japanese stilt grass
Japanese stiltgrass may appear soft and harmless, but this invasive annual grass forms dense carpets that overwhelm native plants, prevent forest regeneration, and reduce scenic and ecological value. As the Blue Ridge PRISM fact sheet notes, even small infestations “form a dense groundcover that smothers native plants and prevents regeneration of forests and fields.” Once established, stiltgrass spreads rapidly and can dominate entire landscapes within a few years. If you see a forest floor that is entirely green, take a look - there is a good chance that you are seeing Japanese Stiltgrass where you should be seeing leaf litter. Learn more about Japanese stilt grass and how to control it here.
Support Fairfax Tree Rescuers PRISM
If you are unable to join us in the field, or even if you are able but want to make a positive impact in a different way, please consider donating to Fairfax Tree Rescuers PRISM. We are a grassroots, volunteer run organization with minimal operating expenses, but we can't succeed in our mission without tools, outreach, and the mini-grants that help our rescue trees throughout our neighborhoods