One of the most insidious problems facing anyone responsible for large amounts of land is the tendency for some kinds of plants to run wild, particularly if their species is an invasive one.
Last year, Charlottesville’s Parks and Recreation Department opted to tackle the problem using a variety of methods and their efforts have been recognized by the Virginia Parks and Recreation Society with an award for Best New Environmental Sustainability Initiative.
“The rapid decline and removal of urban tree canopy continues to be a high priority for city staff and residents,” reads a nomination form submitted by the city for the award. “Parks and Recreation has launched an aggressive program to remove invasive plants from select city properties and replant site appropriate native trees and ground covers.”
In a portion of the Fry’s Spring neighborhood, the department used goats to clear out vines on steep terrain rather than use heavy machinery which might have degraded the integrity of hillsides. That allowed 75 new trees to be planted. (learn more)
Jordan Park is more flat and a forest mulcher was used to help clear land for the Rivanna Trail and to make space for 500 new trees. (learn more)
The city’s nomination said staff and contractors will continue to monitor the sites as part of a bid to increase the city’s tree canopy.
“This city is eager to be a leader and prime example for quality natural resource management in the urban landscape,” the nomination continued.
The awards for projects all across the Commonwealth were handed out at an award dinner in Norfolk earlier this month at a conference with the theme Charting the Course.
The Virginia Parks and Recreation Society classifies awards by the size of a locality.
- For communities under 25,000, the Town of Herndon won an environmental award for their Sugarland Run Stream restoration project.
- For communities between 50,000 and 100,000, New Kent County won an environmental award for their parks sustainability plan.
- For communities over 200,000, Virginia Beach won for a project to take an inventory of all of their trees
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