Hello Friends

Some of you might have noticed that there was some activity in the park around the Manchester Climbing Wall last week. A big chunk of the hillside was freed from the grips of the invasive Ailanthus trees that took root and overgrew. Professional arborists did this work under the direction of the JRPS staff. Funding for the work was provided by Friends of the James River Park and Venture Richmond.

Originally introduced to the U.S. in the late 18th century, the Tree of Heaven was valued for its fast growth and resilience. Unfortunately, these traits make it an invasive powerhouse.

Tree of Heaven establishes in new locations through dispersal of the abundant seeds produced by female trees. But Tree of Heaven has an even more aggressive way of spreading locally:  Dense “clonal” colonies form from new shoots growing from the root systems of existing trees. This is known as “root suckering”. Those root suckers can’t just be pulled up, and simply cutting Tree of Heaven actually causes it to produce more growth. At the same time, the species also produces its own chemical compounds that suppress the growth of other species (known as “allelopathy”). The result is Tree of Heaven take-over.

This aggressive behavior disrupts native plant populations, which are essential to the James River Park System’s ecosystem. When native plants are crowded out by Tree of Heaven, local wildlife lose critical sources of food and shelter, setting off a chain reaction that affects everything from insects to birds and small mammals.

Biodiversity is the key to a resilient ecosystem, and each species—whether plant, insect, or animal—plays a unique role in the balance of nature. The Tree of Heaven disrupts this balance, reducing biodiversity by taking over habitats needed by native flora and fauna. For example, native trees like oak, maple, and hickory support local wildlife, including pollinators and birds. The spread of Tree of Heaven limits the availability of these native trees, directly threatening the species that rely on them.

Managing the spread of Tree of Heaven in the James River Park System is essential to preserving this ecosystem. While removing these trees is challenging, the benefits are substantial.

Because of Tree of Heaven’s “clonal” qualities, simply cutting it causes it to spread even more aggressively as the tree and its root system put out vigorous growth in response to the injury. This is why successful control of Tree of Heaven requires integrating chemical methods to kill the root systems. That is the approach taken by our JRPS invasives management team and by the professional invasive plant specialist contractors providing services at Manchester Climbing Wall. You can read more about Tree of Heaven and its control from resources at the Virginia Department of Forestry. Tree of Heaven is also the preferred host plant of the invasive insect Spotted Lanternfly. Control of Tree of Heaven is essential to reducing the lanternfly’s harm to Virginia’s agricultural economy. (Also, they are really gross and you definitely do not want them spoiling your walk in the Park.)

This project was a great example of how Friends of the James River Park works with JRPS staff to protect and enhance the Park. I am grateful to our donors who continue to support these efforts. If you are interested in supporting the conservation work we are doing in the park, please click on the donate button at the top of the page. We are always seeking funding to do more of this type of work, and right now there are a lot more of this type of tree that need to be removed from the park.

See you in the park!