Native Plant Rescue Operation

Native Plant Rescue

Truro had a win-win opportunity just before construction on the project began – help the parkland, learn about native and invasive plants, and get some native plants for your own garden.  Specifically, there was an opportunity to undertake a native plant “rescue operation”, whereby resident volunteers along with the guidance of knowledgeable experts could rescue native plants and transplant them to designated “safe” areas in our parkland.

To begin, a couple of informative walks were recently organized with the aid  of Fairfax County landscape architect, Suzanne Foster, stream project contractors, plus members of the Stream Team, Landscape  and Parkland committees, and a representative from the Friends of Accotink Creek (FoAC) in order to identify the existing native and invasive, destructive plants.

Some of the native plants identified on the walks included Royal, New York, and Cinnamon Ferns, Solomon  Seal, Striped Wintergreen, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Enchanter’s Nightshade, Hog Peanut, and Carex.  Bush and tree specimens included: Spice Bush, Arrowwood Viburnum, Black Gum, White Fringe Tree, American Holly and hopefully, American Chestnut (to be confirmed).

Through the summer of 2016,  small groups of Truro residents and a knowledgeable guide worked in parts of the parkland that would be in the construction area to remove native plants and replant them in safe, non-construction areas of the parkland.  Volunteers were also allowed to take some of the rescued plants to plant at their own homes.