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ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The city has hired a contractor to remove invasive plants from parks and natural areas, with work scheduled at 11 sites between September and December.
Environmental Quality Resources, based in Gambrills, Maryland, with a Virginia office in Ashland, began the work in August under authorization from the city. The city says the work will happen quarterly and depends on weather, and its Natural Resources Division is overseeing it.
The parks the city has scheduled this fall are African American Heritage Park, Angel Park, Ben Brenman Park, the natural areas next to Francis C. Hammond Middle School, Monticello Park, the Rynex Natural Area, Potomac Greens Park, Taney Avenue Park, Timberbranch Parkway, the Wilkes Street Tunnel and Windmill Hill Park.
The city describes the schedule as tentative and subject to change based on weather and site conditions.
Alexandria also asked residents and park visitors not to do their own vegetation clearing, trimming or landscape work in city parks, saying unapproved work can interfere with restoration efforts and with the protection of natural resources. Staff from the Natural Resources, Urban Forestry and Park Maintenance divisions will continue monitoring the areas.
Invasive plants displace native species, and in wooded areas they climb and smother trees. Several of the parks on the list contain streams or wooded slopes, including Timberbranch Parkway, where Timber Branch runs through a strip of woods between residential streets and vines have grown over much of the understory.
The city's notice describes the work only as invasive species management and does not say what it involves. The Alexandria Brief has asked the Natural Resources Division what the work entails, whether signage will be posted at the sites, whether there is any guidance for people with dogs or children, and what prompted the request that residents stop clearing vegetation on their own. This story will be updated.
The firm has worked in Alexandria before. It built the living shoreline at Windmill Hill Park, replacing 1,200 feet of failing bulkhead with stone, sand and marsh grasses, and did a tidal wetland restoration at Four Mile Run Park that included invasive species removal and the excavation of more than 13,400 cubic yards of contaminated soil. Windmill Hill is on this fall's list.
Founded in 1991, the company works on stream and wetland restoration, living shorelines, stormwater facilities and native plantings, mostly in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Ryan Belmore is an Alexandria resident and the founder and publisher of The Alexandria Brief. Send tips, feedback, and story ideas to ryan@alexandriabrief.com.
