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Invasive Removal Grant Opportunity for Communities in Fairfax County

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Photo: FMN Margaret Fisher, Trees being engulfed by invasive plants

The wooded common areas of community associations and places of worship are not only amenities for humans but also important elements of the infrastructure, cooling the environment and soaking up stormwater that otherwise causes downstream flooding. The woods are also home for many non-human neighbors. In times past, these areas would take care of themselves, but those days are past in Fairfax County. The trees are under numerous threats, but the invasive non-native tree-killing plants constitute one of the worst of them. Invasive plant removal and management can be achieved with dedicated leadership, expertise, long-term planning, and funding. This grant program is intended to help communities start that process and to provide some funding opportunity.

Audubon At Home mini-grants of $3,000 are available. Applications are due August 15. Learn more here.

A Birder’s Garden: Habitat for Feathered Friends with Alyssa Morel, February 28th

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Photo of Alyssa Morel, Courtesy of the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia

Tuesday, February 28, 2023
7:00 – 8:00 PM
Virtual
Tickets: $10

Click here for registration.

Birders who want to see feathered friends without leaving the comforts of home can create a garden that attracts and supports them. This talk gives practical gardening advice for new gardeners as well as suggested plant species to help turn your bit of ground into an avian sanctuary.

Speaker Alyssa Ford Morel is one of our Audubon at Home Ambassadors, as well as a member of the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia and the Arlington Regional Master Naturalists. She also helps coordinate the Glencarlyn Library Demonstration Garden.

This event is brought to you by Audubon Society of Northern Virginia.

 

State of the Birds 2022 in Northern Virginia, Audubon Society of Northern Virginia

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Photo: Chimney Swifts, Gen Cvengros, Audubon Photography Awards

Following a 2019 report that we have lost 3 billion birds in 50 years in the United States and Canada, the national State of the Birds Report 2022 (released on October 12, 2022) shows that birds are declining in every habitat except wetlands, where 30+ years of conservation investment have paid off.

To see the national report, visit StateoftheBirds.org.

Here in northern Virginia, we have also lost many birds. Urban and suburban areas pose special threats to birds, including habitat loss, window and other collisions, and the spread of invasive species, including plants, insect pests, and outdoor cats.

In the face of these losses, there are many things we can do to promote bird conservation. ASNV’s Audubon at Home program advises homeowners on replacing invasive plants with natives. In addition, we advise park managers on how to manage parks for breeding birds, especially grasslands and meadows that support declining species such as Eastern Meadowlarks and American Kestrels.

The new State of the Birds report identifies 90 species that have declined more than 50% in the past 50 years. Of those species, five breed in northern Virginia and should be a special focus of conservation efforts here:

  • Chimney Swift – You can help ASNV protect swifts by letting us know if you have breeding swifts or a fall roosting congregation.
  • Wood Thrush and Red-headed Woodpecker – These birds need healthy forests to breed successfully.
  • Prairie Warbler – This is a species that needs overgrown meadows with Eastern red cedars.
  • King Rail – This a secretive wetland bird that often breeds in Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge and occasionally in other wetlands nearby.

In addition to these five, our region supports important populations of migrating birds in spring and fall. These birds use small parks and even backyards while traveling on their perilous journeys, so everything we do to improve our local environment can make a big difference!

–Audubon Society of Northern Virginia

Community Entranceway Landscaping

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Article, Photos, and Images: Courtesy of Plant NOVA Natives: Water’s Edge at Fair Lakes Homeowners Association 

The Audubon-at-Home program in partnership with Plant NOVA Natives obtained a grant from Dominion Energy to award seven matching mini-grants to community associations for converting their entranceway landscaping to all Virginia native plants. The mini-grants stipulated that the landscaping be designed so that the community’s standard landscape company could maintain it. The projects were installed in the fall of 2021. The “after” photos are from Spring 2022. Below, the organizer from Water’s Edge at Fair Lakes Homeowners Association shared some thoughts about their experience that may help other communities.

​Note: Any community or individual in Northern Virginia who wish to use their property for wildlife sanctuary is encouraged to invite an Audubon-at-Home volunteer to walk their property with them and strategize.

In Fairfax County, The Water’s Edge at Fair Lakes Homeowners Association participated in the program.

From the Water’s Edge Organizers:

It is so exciting to see these plants come back this year! We have several signs that you will notice in the pics. Besides the Native Plants sign, there are some smaller signs as well. The smaller green one requests that the plants not be sprayed. There are also small signs with numbers. The numbers correlate to the educational piece, which is the QR codes in multiple places, which invite people to learn more about the plant that is there. This is something we said we would have by this spring. We are still looking into other educational opportunities for the community and will take any chance to share the work that has been done and the benefits associated with planting natives. Since the entrance is located on a walking path in the area, the QR codes are placed so that anyone walking by has the opportunity to learn more about any of the plants. On our part, having this done and engaging with the work has prompted us to consider only natives in other parts of the neighborhood as trees need to be replaced, beds need to be rebuilt, and our own properties need plantings. The invasives that were in the area, such as the lilies, have been difficult to remove, and they came back in full force this year. Hands Dirty came back to remove more of them, and we will continue to monitor the need for removal. During bouts of hot and/or dry weather, we are watering by hand or hiring the landscaping company to water the plants at the entrance as well as other native plantings we are working to establish.

Additional articles about this program and participants:
Welcoming Visitors with Native Plant Landscaping — Audubon Society of Northern Virginia (audubonva.org)
https://www.plantnovanatives.org/entranceway-landscaping

Plant List:
​
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatam ‘Shenandoah’
Southern Wax Myrtle (Morella cerifera)
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Eastern Bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana)
Pennsylvania Sedge) (Carex pensylvanica)
Wood Aster
Woodland Phlox (Phlox diviracata) ‘Sherwood Purple’
Native azalea
Meadow Anemone
American Strawberrybush (Euonymyous americanus)
Aromatic Sumac (Rhus aromatica)
Moss Phlox (Phlox subulata) ‘Emerald Pink’
Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)
Black-eyed Susan
Culver’s Root
False Blue Indigo (Baptisia australis)
Golden Ragwort (Packera aurea)
Mountain Mint
Beebalm
Sundrops

 

Before Picture and After Pictures:

Courtesy of Plant NOVA Natives: Water’s Edge at Fair Lakes Homeowners Association

 

Courtesy of Plant NOVA Natives: Water’s Edge at Fair Lakes Homeowners Association

 

Courtesy of Plant NOVA Natives: Water’s Edge at Fair Lakes Homeowners Association

 

Courtesy of Plant NOVA Natives: Water’s Edge at Fair Lakes Homeowners Association

 

Mini-grants for Community Associations, applications due May 31, 2021

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Photo by J. Quinn

The Audubon at Home Program will be distributing 6 one-to-one matching grants of $2,350 apiece for community associations to re-landscape their entrances using native plants. Applications are due May 31, 2021. Details and the application forms may be found here audubonva.org/neighborhood-entrances-grant.

Training for new Audubon at Home Ambassadors, December 6th

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Photo courtesy of audubonva.org

Sunday, December 6, 2020
2 pm
Register here.
Note: This training is for those interested in volunteering as Ambassadors, not a program for those wanting to learn how to landscape with native plants in their own yards.

Tami Sheiffer, Audubon at Home Coordinator for Fairfax County, will be holding virtual training for new volunteers interested in becoming Audubon at Home Ambassadors in Fairfax County.

Ambassadors are knowledgeable volunteers who expand quality wildlife habitat in Northern Virginia by sharing their knowledge of native plants and ecosystems with homeowners. As an Ambassador, you will conduct site visits, provide personalized advice to homeowners, and certify yards as wildlife sanctuaries. (The personalized recommendations are provided to the homeowner via email after the site visit so you will not be on the spot to provide all recommendations during the site visit.)

We have successfully resumed site visits since July with COVID-19 safety precautions in place. Site visits take place entirely outdoors, one on one or in small groups. Clients and Ambassadors must wear masks and fill out an online form prior to the site visit stating that no one in their families has symptoms. Followup communication with the recommendations is done through email.

Being an Ambassador is rewarding because you’re guiding people to make changes in their yards that noticeably improve wildlife habitat, as evidenced by the presence of sanctuary species. And, volunteering as an Ambassador is convenient because you schedule the site visit for a day and time that fits in your schedule. Clients are assigned based on proximity so you will usually not have to drive more than 15 minutes to a client’s house, and you can accept or decline clients based on your availability.

Creating a Wildlife Sanctuary on Your Property: The Audubon at Home Program, webinar 27 August

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Photo: Audubon at Home Certified Wildlife Sanctuary, Toni Genberg

Webinar
Thursday, 27 August 2020
7 – 8:30 pm
$5
Register here

What can you do on your own property to attract and support wildlife? To learn how, join online for “Creating a Wildlife Sanctuary on Your Property: The Audubon at Home Program.” Originally scheduled as a live event last March, the program had to be canceled due to the pandemic. Now you’ll be able to attend from the comfort of your home.

Betsy Martin will talk about the Audubon at Home program, Wildlife Sanctuary certification and Habitat Best Practices. Betsy is a member of the ASNV Board of Directors and a Co-Coordinator of ASNV’s Audubon at Home program. She is a Virginia Master Naturalist, a founder and President of the Friends of Little Hunting Creek and the Mount Vernon representative to Fairfax County’s Chesapeake Bay Exception Review Committee, which she also chairs.

Laura Beaty will relate how she transformed her yard into a wildlife habitat with a slide program entitled: “Your Landscape as Habitat.” She will show how to support nature’s relationships in your wildlife habitat, and why it’s important to view your habitat from two perspectives: the eyes of turf-grass traditionalists and native pollinators. She’ll show you the truth behind the phrases, “The greater the plant diversity, the greater the wildlife” and “Plant it and they will come.” Laura Beaty is Horticulture Chair of the Virginia Native Plant Society and Propagation/Plant Sales Chair of the Potowmack Chapter of VNPS. She also represents her Fairfax County district on the Fairfax Tree Commission.

This program is co-sponsored by the Friends of Mason Neck State Park and Audubon Society of Northern Virginia. They’re charging a nominal fee of $5.00 per registration to help defray the costs.

Create Helpful Habitat with Native Planting, Virtual Learning

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Looking for a reason to get out into nature?  How about making your property more wildlife-friendly by adding plants native to Virginia?  Find out why this is important during this webinar hosted by Audubon Society of Northern Virginia’s Audubon at Home program. The webinar was recorded on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, 2020, and is also is in celebration of our partnership with Green Muslims during National Arab-American Heritage Month.

Watch the webinar! Master naturalists earn one hour of continuing education credit.

“Audubon at Home” program presentation, Mar. 21st

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Jammes House
Mason Neck State Park
Saturday, March 21, 2020
2 pm

The Audubon Society of Northern Virginia and Plant Nova Natives will present “Creating a Wildlife Sanctuary on Your Property: The Audubon at Home Program” at 2 PM on March 21. The program will explain the importance of native plants to restoring and maintaining a balanced ecosystem and give guidance on how to do it.

The program is free and is open to everyone. The Friends of Mason Neck State Park, which is hosting the program, will provide light refreshments. Registration for the program will open on February 15. Space will be limited, so be sure to register as soon as you can.

Learn about Audubon at Home, May 9th

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Photo by Barbara J. Saffir (c)

Green Spring Gardens
4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA
Thursday, 9 May 2019
7:30 – 9 pm
Program and talk with Betsy Martin & Alda Krinsman

The Audubon at Home program was created to make a difference by supporting the efforts of property owners and managers to become better stewards of nature in their own outdoor spaces. It embraces the principles of the National Audubon Society’s Bird-Friendly Communities and promotes citizen participation in conserving and restoring local natural habitat and biodiversity.

The Wildlife Sanctuary Program brings trained naturalists together with property owners and managers on a mission to restore natural habitat. The program offers information, on-site consultation and recommendations to help you establish and nurture sustainable natural habitat in your backyard, neighborhood, school, church, park or business in spaces that range from a small corner of your yard to many acres. Results-based sanctuary certification depends on the success of the habitat to attract and support wildlife. The program seeks to expand wildlife habitat in the area and fosters appreciation for the value of native plants and all the wildlife that depend on them.