Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Pests And Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fairfax County staff outline key pests, programs and volunteer roles in invasive‑species response
Summary
County specialists described priority pests—spotted lanternfly, beech leaf disease, hemlock woolly adelgid and emerald ash borer—explained treatment limitations and highlighted Park Authority programs (about $1.5M total, including $400K for bamboo) and volunteer invasive management areas (IMA).
Fairfax County staff used the webinar to itemize priority invasive pests and county programs and to explain how residents can participate.
Forest Health and Park Authority staff listed pests of concern—spotted lanternfly (whose main local host is tree of heaven), beech leaf disease (first detected in Fairfax in 2022 and associated with nematode damage), hemlock woolly adelgid (managed through targeted insecticide injections and biological control beetles) and emerald ash borer (fatal to ash species; individual trees can be treated by certified arborists but there is no landscape‑scale treatment).
Patricia Greenberg of the Fairfax County Park Authority said the authority manages roughly 17,000 acres of natural area and that the county dedicates about $1.5 million, including about $400,000 annually for a bamboo control program, to invasive‑species work. She described the county’s non‑native invasive assessment protocol and a hub model that focuses limited resources on prioritized restoration areas while supporting and training volunteers.
Staff emphasized species‑specific management: identify the species, remove what you can physically, monitor repeatedly, and reserve chemical controls for last. Adria Bordis of the Virginia Cooperative Extension directed residents to master gardener plant clinics and identification tools—staff recommended using apps such as iNaturalist and local guides like Plant NOVA Natives.
Brian Nunees of the Department of Code Compliance warned homeowners to check permitting requirements before large removals: work in Resource Protection Areas may require a waiver from Land Development Services, and land disturbance over 2,500 square feet typically requires a permit.
John Burke (Park Authority) walked through the county invasive‑species web hub and showed reporting and volunteer signup pages. Speakers urged proper disposal of invasive plant material—bag and send to trash/incineration, not yard‑waste compost or dumping—so infestations are not spread by disposal.
The county encouraged residents to volunteer with the IMA program, attend master gardener clinics beginning in May, and use county reporting tools for site‑specific help.
