Photo: Mile-a-minute
Tom Blackburn
Our organization, Northern Virginia Bird Alliance (NVBA), has entered into a partnership with the recently-formed Fairfax Invasive Removal Alliance (FIRA). FIRA is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that advocates for the removal of invasive plants and the planting of natives. FIRA consists of 34 homeowner, civic, and condo associations with over 18,000 households representing about 54,000 residents.
Invasive plants are one of the most serious threats to our ecosystem. They compete with native plants for nutrients, moisture, light and space, and reduce the number and diversity of native plants on which native wildlife – pollinators, other insects, birds, and mammals – rely. According to the U.S. Forest Service, invasive plants are the major cause of the decline of 18% of endangered or threatened species and contribute to the decline of another 24% of endangered or threatened species.
FIRA has adopted an ambitious set of objectives, including educating the public to avoid planting invasives, encouraging nurseries to sell native plants instead of invasives, and advocating for legislation that would result in fewer sales of invasive plants.
NVBA’s objectives align with those of FIRA. Our organization’s mission is to conserve and restore nature for the benefit of birds, other wildlife, and people. We worked hard during the last session of the Virginia General Assembly to support legislation that would have required signage in retail nurseries advising customers about which plants are invasive and encouraging them to buy natives instead. Through our Stretch Our Parks program, we also conduct workdays at which volunteers remove invasive plants from public parks. Our Wildlife Sanctuary program brings trained naturalists together with property owners and managers, offering information, on-site consultation and recommendations to help establish and nurture sustainable natural habitat in backyards, neighborhoods, schools, churches, parks and businesses. Our occasional newsletter articles and email notices titled “Plant This Not That” encourage residents to choose native plants instead of invasives for their yards.
We look forward to a productive and rewarding partnership with FIRA, as we work together to reduce the threat of invasive plants to our ecosystem. You can learn more about FIRA at its website.