Over the past year, Blue Ridge PRISM has conducted 3 training invasive
plant removal sessions in Ashburn Village, two for Tree of Heaven and one for English Ivy and invasive shrubs. As a result, Ashburn Village is now starting a resident-led monthly (ambitious!) invasive plant removal within our community. Ashburn Village makes for a good location for training as it is easily accessible (no gates), we have extensive invasive plants to pick from (ugh), 500+ acres of common ground with ample parking, an accommodating Board and management team, and a large population to draw volunteers from (17,000 residents). That said, I’m sure there are other HOAs that would be happy to have volunteers come to their community to remove invasive plants. Well, a great opportunity has landed in our lap!

Two expert invasive plant removal professionals have offered to lead
invasive plant removal volunteer efforts, monthly if they can make it
work, and I’m reaching out to LIRA to see if you would like to host a
volunteer training session in your HOA. Larissa Roeleveld worked for
Invasive Plant Control (the experts we are using for the pilots) before
joining Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc, where she now leads
ecosystem restoration, including invasive plant removal. Clara Buchen,
Larissa’s fellow ecosystem restoration specialist Wetland Studies and
Solutions, Inc, will partner with Larissa in providing the invasive
plant removal training in your HOA (although they may divide and conquer based on demand later in the year). Next month happens to include National Invasive Species Week from 2/24 to 2/28 (yes, there is such a thing). What better way to create awareness about invasive plants than to host a couple training sessions on their removal in Loudoun the weekend before (2/22 or 2/23) or after (3/1 or 3/2).

Targeted species for removal in late February include:
• English Ivy
• Japanese Honeysuckle
• Garlic Mustard
• Creeping Charlie
• Bush Honeysuckle
• Porcelain Berry
• Roundleaf Bittersweet
• Chinese Privet
• Autumn Olive
• Mimosa
• Burning Bush
• Barberr
• Vinca

If you have a common area space in your community that has one or more
of the above invasive plants that would support 30-40 volunteers over a
2 hour period (30 minutes for training, 90+ minutes for removal) and
you’d like to be considered as a host HOA for either of those weekends,
please email Larissa, Clara and me. This will hopefully be the first of many training sessions that they lead this year in LIRA HOAs.

Although the labor and expertise is free, the HOA would be expected to
cover the cost of supplies (herbicide if needed, personal protection
equipment, herbicide applicators, etc.). In ashburn Village, we have
found that the cost tends to range from $200-$500 for supplies. Well
worth the results!

These volunteer training sessions compliment the invasive removal grant
program expected to launch this summer. Speaking of which, below is an
early result from one of our pilots, CountrySide HOA. The following
represents the aftermath of a former stand of 60′ golden bamboo that was cut down this week before being hauled away!

Again, if you’d like to be considered for hosting an invasive removal
training in your HOA led by invasive plant removal experts in late
February, please notify Larissa, Clara and me. Hopefully it will lead
to a dedicated resident-led invasive removal program in your community
like the one we now enjoy here in Ashburn Village.