Community association tree rescues
Why are native trees important to your community?
Native trees and woods add value
-
Higher property values
-
Beauty
-
Cooling shade
-
Lower air conditioning costs
-
Wind breaks
-
Stormwater and erosion control
-
Reduced risk of asthma
-
Support for songbirds
Dying trees are expensive
-
Potential hazards
-
Costly removals
Our native trees face many threats in Northern Virginia.
From humans
-
New development and redevelopment
-
Road projects and other public projects
-
Poor pruning practices
-
Poor planting practices
-
Mulch piled around the base
-
Injuries from mowers and string trimmers
-
Soil compaction from vehicles and heavy equipment
-
Road salt
-
Unnecessary tree removals
-
Heat island effect
-
Lack of preventative care
From "nature" (much of it human caused)
-
Non-native pests and diseases
-
Non-native vines that strangle or smother
-
Non-native trees that displace the natives
-
Rising temperatures and changing rain patterns
Fairfax/Falls Church Communities
Fairfax Tree Rescuers PRISM invites every resident to join in a community-wide effort to save the trees across Fairfax/Falls Church.
Please sign up to represent your community association or neighborhood. You will receive information to relay to your neighbors, and you will be connected to other Community Reps nearby so you can strategize together.
Mini-grants may be available to jump-start work on common land.
Healthy Sycamore felled by English Ivy - on the power line
What can your community do?
Educate
-
Use community newsletters, NextDoor.com, local social media groups to push out your articles or those of Plant NOVA Trees
-
Address concerns about hazardous trees
-
Encourage people to save work on raking by leaving leaves in place
-
Conduct walking tours of notable native trees in the neighborhood
-
Put on other fun events
-
Label the native trees
-
Encourage neighbors to control English Ivy (Choking Hazard initiative)
Work together
-
Create a conservation team
-
Create a tree replacement plan for common land.
-
Adopt better tree care procedures.
-
Hire an independent certified arborist to do tree risk assessments.
-
Hire a company to remove invasive plants.
-
Find volunteers for the regional Tree Rescuers program.