The twisting green vines and fragrant flowers are eye-catching, but don’t be deceived by their beauty. They’re notorious villains spreading and overtaking parts of the city’s landscape. But one group knows their tricks and is on a mission to stop them.
The James River Park System (JRPS) Invasive Plant Task Force meticulously removes invasive plants across the park’s 600 acres. Founded in 2015, the task force, made up of 10 active (mainly volunteer) members, works year-round alongside the JRPS invasive management staff to help remove these pesky plants at eight park units, including the popular Pony Pasture, Belle Isle and Chapel Island.
“At the time of the 2015 baseline inventory, the abundance of invasive plant cover was above 50% in nearly the entire park system,” says Laura Greenleaf, one of the task force’s founders and a JRPS invasive plant management coordinator.
Greenleaf, who moved to the Pony Pasture area in 2011 from Richmond’s Northside, was inspired to act after observing English ivy and wintercreeper engulfing the surrounding trees – “After three winters of that visual impact it really compelled me to do something.”
The JRPS Invasive Plant Task Force was born after a dining room table discussion between a small group of master naturalists and tree stewards who were concerned about invasives. After a few years of doing small removal projects on their own, they aimed to do something officially.
The group reached out to the park’s superintendent at the time who mentioned an environmental scientist was interested in developing an invasive inventory and management plan for the park system. They soon collaborated and an invasive plant study was conducted in August 2015.
“It was all pretty bad initially, especially in the Huguenot Flatwater section,” says co-founder Emily Gianfortoni. “Vines were climbing up trees which is very harmful as it can cause them to come down because of the vine weight.”
For five years, Gianfortoni and Greenleaf looked after Pony Pasture, focusing on a two-acre area near the rapids. Now, it’s just Greenleaf carrying on the job. The work has also since expanded to a section along Rockfalls Creek near the park’s entrance and main trail corridors. The ultimate goal is to clear out as much as possible while using a “wait and watch” approach with native plantings to see what thrives best.
Buttermilk Trail is another portion undergoing landscape restoration. About a 15-minute drive from Pony Pasture, the trail is Anne Wright’s project.
A retired VCU biology professor, Wright noticed the influx of English ivy near the trail several years ago while setting up a carbon sequestration plot with students. “As a longtime gardener I knew it was bad so we started pulling it out,” Wright says. She and Greenleaf eventually chatted about the new task force and Wright decided to join.
Removal is a complex process
After years of diligence, much of the initial removal is complete, but the trail’s hillsides remain a challenge. “The steep hills are too dangerous for us to get into,” says Wright. “But we’ve recently partnered with climbers and have gotten a clear bowl shape removed.”
The task force does much of the intricate work themselves but volunteers still play a huge role. Under the guidance of task force members, volunteers will gather for a few hours each week or month to pull roots, chop vines and haul debris – all while getting a free lesson in the fascinating yet menacing world of invasives.
There are approximately 60 invasive species known in the park system. Apart from wintercreeper and English ivy, other threats include Japanese stiltgrass, garlic mustard and amur honeysuckle.
Removing these plants is complex. Some can be pulled out by hand while others might need to be carefully sawed or cut away. It’s a delicate job and one that needs to be carefully done to prevent harm to native species while preventing additional invasive spread.
Much of the invasives in the JRPS are due to surrounding neighborhoods. Nearby ones were often established with English ivy as a ground cover or privet as a hedge.
“Over time they have crept unnoticed into the park,” says Gianfortoni. “That’s why many of the city parks are covered in invasives as opposed to newer ones in surrounding counties that aren’t as close to older neighborhoods.” Apart from this, some locals dump their yard waste in the park which can add to the issue.
As invasives continue overwhelming native plants, other parts of the ecosystem will be noticeably hurt, including songbirds. The creatures rely on native caterpillars, fruits and seeds for sustenance. Because invasives destroy these populations, it leads to avian malnutrition. “Because they did not co-evolve with all the other plant and animal life in the natural communities where they are introduced, invasive plants do not have an ecological role to play,” says Wright. “When they become dominant, they completely degrade habitat.”
Despite this dedication, invasives will always be a concern in the park system and its landscape will need to be consistently monitored. But a strong message has been sent to these tenacious plants over the past eight years. Locals are also becoming more aware of this environmental crisis and are opting now to grow natives around their homes.
“The shift in public perception has been important,” says Greenleaf. “People now recognize and understand invasive plants are a problem.”
