Environment Virginia is a non-profit organization with thousands of members across Virginia. Managing invasive species and protecting native pollinators and wildlife are priorities for us and our members. We thank Delegate Callsen for introducing HB 388 and express our support for it. We want more nature in Virginia where wildlife can thrive, clean water can flow and old trees can grow. Invasive plant species get in the way of this. English ivy covers entire portions of the James River Park system, trail crews are overwhelmed by kudzu on the Appalachian Trail, and farmers cannot keep up with the Callery pear trees spreading rapidly throughout the Shenandoah Valley. Not only do invasive species cause a headache for anyone managing land, they outcompete native plants. Native plants are pollinator powerhouses and feed Virginia’s more than 400 native bees. Our mountain mint is a favorite during a monarch’s migration. Our white oaks are habitat to countless critters. And our gorgeous Virginia bluebells have festivals dedicated to them. Stopping the spread of invasive plant species is critical to protecting Virginia’s wild spaces and wildlife. Stopping the spread of invasive species starts at the local level. Service districts are a powerful tool local governments can use to provide additional services and managing invasive species should be one of the services they can provide. HB 388 is a small change to the law that would provide localities a powerful tool for managing invasives. Please take action on invasives and vote YES on HB 388.

I strongly support HB388 because invasive plants are one of the most persistent and damaging threats to Virginia’s natural ecosystems, yet local communities often lack the authority and tools needed to manage them effectively. Invasive species like English ivy, kudzu, and others outcompete native plants, weaken trees, degrade wildlife habitat, increase erosion, and undermine long-term forest and park health. Once established, these plants are extremely difficult and costly to remove, requiring ongoing maintenance rather than one-time intervention. In my own community, I have seen these challenges firsthand through the restoration of the future Ernest Road park site in Southside Richmond. The property was completely overtaken by invasive species — particularly English ivy — which had smothered native vegetation and stressed mature trees. While restoration work has begun, invasive plant control will be a continuous effort for the life of the park, as new growth and re-invasion are constant threats shared by natural spaces across the Commonwealth. HB388 helps address a major barrier to this work by allowing service districts to control invasive plants within their boundaries. Expanding this local authority will make it easier for communities to respond quickly, coordinate maintenance, and protect investments in parks, tree canopy, waterways, and habitat restoration. Invasive species management is not optional if we want healthy forests, resilient parks, and functioning ecosystems — it is ongoing, essential infrastructure work. HB388 provides a practical, commonsense tool to help Virginia communities meet that challenge.

I support the passage of HB 388, expanding the public service districts by giving local areas more tools to effectively manage invasive plants. Please vote YES

Please support HB 388. Currently in PWC, there are no dedicated funds to remove invasive plants. These vines, shrubs and trees damage and kill native plants that provide food and housing to wildlife. It is much more cost effective to be proactive instead of reactive. When trees fall, streams flood, and wildlife moves into neighborhoods and roadways to search for food, the County and residents will pay for clean up and fixing any problems that arise.

Please support this bill. Invasive plants have completely infiltrated our parks, forests, and backyards. Bird's cannot reproduce with these invaders. If you support wildlife and our ecosystem make sure this bill passes as other states are doing. It's way overdue.

I strongly support limiting invasive plants in our state. Please restrict their sales and usage.

As an avid gardener training to become a Henrico Master Gardener I can attest to how disruptive invasive plants are to our native ecosystem. They take over yards, spreading into adjacent yards and provide little to zero beneficial impact to native insects and wildlife. Requirements for invasive species should be kept to containers only with acknowledgement of continuous management to ensure the plant does not spread by ground.

Please vote yes on House Bill 388. As a Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) certified Master Gardener in Fairfax County, I have seen how invasive vines such as English Ivy kill mature native trees, often resulting in damaged infrastructure. And I have witnessed the tangible difference in native growth/ foliage once volunteers have cleared out invasive vines and plants. Invasive plants do not provide food or adequate habitat for our much needed pollinators. Our local jurisdictions across the Commonwealth do not have sufficient budgets to effectively tackle and manage the invasive plants crisis. HB388 creates the possibility of a dedicated revenue source for managing invasive plants in our communities. Thank you for your service and dedication to improving the quality of life in our Commonweath.

Yes!

I am active in the local native plant society. The Northern Neck is over run with invasive such as English Ivy, Privet, Russian Olive, Japanese Honeysuckle and knotweed. Without the ability to knock these back, fewer and fewer native species. A survive, and the surrounding water quality will continue to struggle. Please pass this!

Invasive species are expensive. Estimated economic losses due to invasive species in Virginia may be as high as $1 billion annually. Local governments foot the bill for downed trees, degraded stream channels, wildfires, roadside maintenance, and removing invasive plants from parks, playgrounds, and schools. ● Invasive plants harm infrastructure. Examples include clogging of important waterways, increasing stormwater runoff and erosion, infiltrating sewer lines, and causing expensive maintenance and repairs for various structures, from power lines to buildings. ● Invasive plants destroy local tree canopy damaging and leave a tangled mess that can prevent birds from nesting, pollinators from nectaring, and wildlife from accessing water and food. A SIMPLE SOLUTION: EXPAND POWERS OF SERVICE DISTRICTS Local governments should be provided with the tools to raise necessary funds to manage and control invasive plants that affect their communities. ● The Code of Virginia (§15.2-2400) allows for Public Service Districts that provide localities with the authority to “provide additional, more complete or more timely services of government.” ● Currently, the powers of public service districts include managing water, sewerage, garbage removal, beautification and landscaping, and control of infestations of insects and other pests, among many listed services. ● A simple change to add control of invasive plants to the listed powers of service districts (§15.2-2403) would allow localities more flexibility to effectively manage invasive plants by enabling collaboration among neighboring jurisdictions, and establishing dedicated local funding sources.

I encourage the passing of this bill especially as it applies to invasive plant control. Non-native plants are eroding our native habitats which affects ecological resources needed for wildlife to thrive.

According to the Virginia Mercury, ivasive plant species cost Virginians over $1 Billion annually. Please adopt HB388 to allow Invasive Plant Species to be added to the Service District language so there will be a reliable means of funding to deal with this growing issue at a local level. Thank you for your consideration, Katherine Johnson City of Fairfax Resident.

Comments Document

As a member of the public, a volunteer for Fairfax County IMA, the president of Wild Ones Nova I support HB388. I have spent hundreds of hours removing invasive vines from public lands, my own private property, and HOA property. Invasive pants pose a serious environmental and economic threat to Virginia, the United States and the world.

Per the Virginia department of forestry, invasive species cost our state over $1 billion per year. Anything we can do to reduce this cost is beneficial. It will cost money to remove invasive species, but it is worth it both financially and environmentally.

This bill is important in that we need to control the invasive plant sales in Virginia! Other states have made this change effectively!

I want to encourage support for this bill to build on the progress we’ve made in Virginia in raising awareness of the deleterious effects of invasive plants and continue advocacy for those programs that enable control and removal.

Please add invasive plants to the service districts list to allow localities more flexibility in addressing the damage to our environment that nonnative species cause. I volunteer to remove invasive vines that are killing our trees. Volunteer labor alone barely makes a dent even though we are well organized in Fairfax. More options are needed for control. This bill provides localities a good opportunity to make progress in saving native plants that are the bottom of the food chain for our native insects and birds and other species. Thank you.

On behalf of Nature Forward, please support and vote "yes" on HB388. This enabling legislation would provide locales another financial tool in their toolbox --establishing dedicated local funding sources-- to address the problem of nonnative, invasive plants. The Public Service Districts code currently allows localities to raise money for several specific issues, such as managing water, sewerage, garbage removal, beautification and landscaping, and even control of infestations of insects and other pests. Explicitly including “control of invasive plants”, as this bill proposes, offers the opportunity to establish a dedicated funding mechanism to address the problem of invasive plants, a problem that has been festering for decades. In my personal capacity, I lead invasive plant removals in Fairfax County parks and see this problem literally growing and spreading every day. Despite supporting a strong Invasive Plant Management Area program via its Park Authority, Fairfax County and other localities simply need more resources to fight this growing problem. Threats to our biodiversity and health of our ecosystems, such as invasive plants pose, ultimately hurt us, through threats to our tree canopy, crops, waterways, and so on. This problem of invasive species is also costly, with estimated economic losses due to invasive species in Virginia as high as $1 billion annually. The cost to local governments from invasive species includes dealing with downed trees (from the "prone to falling down" invasive Bradford pear trees to otherwise healthy trees assaulted by invasive vines such as English Ivy, Oriental Bittersweet, or Porcelainberry), degraded stream channels, wildfires, roadside maintenance, and removing invasive plants from parks, playgrounds, and schools. Please vote YES to HB388.

“Hello, my name is Irina Smirnoff, and I’m a constituent from Vienna ( Wayside HOA) I’m calling today to encourage James Walkinshaw to support legislation that enables control and removal of invasive plants. In particular, I am asking for support on HB388/SB89. Currently, localities can establish Public Service Districts to manage water, sewerage, garbage removal, beautification and landscaping, and even control infestations of insects and other pests. A simple change to add control of invasive plants to the listed powers of public service districts would allow localities the flexibility they need to effectively manage invasive plants by establishing dedicated local funding sources.” Please support HB388/SB89. Thank you!

Please support House Bill 388. Invasive vines kill mature native trees, often resulting in damaged infrastructure. Invasive plants do not provide food and adequate habitat for our pollinators. Local jurisdictions do not have enough funds to effectively tackle the invasive plants crisis. HB388 creates the possibility of a dedicated revenue source for managing invasive plants in our community. Vote yes on House Bill 388.

Support HB 388. Support local governments in funding invasive plant control. Invasive plants are expensive: Invasive plants harm infrastructure & destroy our tree canopy. Local governments should be provided with the tools to raise necessary funds to manage and control invasive plants that affect their communities.

HB 388 will establish one essential tool for organizing, funding and focusing the battle to save our native species of plants and pollinators from the aggressive imported species that threaten our landscapes and our agriculture. It updates current law to give local governments power to address the serious and growing biological threat from that was not envisioned when the statute was written. As other supporters have also commented, invasive species are a primary driver of biodiversity loss, causing significant harm to ecosystems, economies, and human well-being while contributing to 60% of documented extinctions. Thank you in advance for moving this forward-looking legislation toward final passage.

I am writing in support of legislation to eliminate/manage invasive plants. Invasive vines kill mature native trees, often resulting in damaged infrastructure. Invasive plants do not provide food and adequate habitat for our pollinators. Local jurisdictions do not have enough funds to effectively tackle the invasive plants crisis. HB388 creates the possibility of a dedicated revenue source for managing invasive plants in our community. It is critical that we as taxpayers provide funds to manage/eliminate invasive plants.

Please support HB388, to give localities the necessary flexibility to address the problem of nonnative invasive plants more strategically and efficiently. Speaking as a watershed group that tracked more than 1,000 volunteers donating 2,556 hours of stewardship at 104 stewardship events within the Holmes-Tripps-Cameron Run watersheds in 2025 -- most of which involved addressing nonnative plants in our watershed's green spaces -- we can attest to (a) the damage caused to our streams, stream valleys, parks and communities by invasive weeds, which criss-cross all land use types and therefore require a more holistic approach to management, and (b) the level of constituents' concerns about this problem in their neighborhood. If both 'beautification' and 'pest' (e.g., insect) management are considered appropriate rationales for establishing service districts under the code of Virginia, then surely the code should be further clarified to enable service districts for managing nonnative plants that undermine said beautification efforts and harbor said pests. Furthermore, when loss of plant biodiversity goes unchecked within a local ecosystem, it’s not just local habitat or pollination that’s affected, it’s also stormwater management, nutrient recycling, water purification, pest control etc. A July 2024 report by the National Bureau of Economic Research [https://www.nber.org/papers/w32678] found that localized species loss has two impacts, i.e.: it reduces both the productivity of an ecosystem function AND its resilience to further species loss. We're currently in a situation where any future losses of biodiversity will have increasingly large economic effects. The good news is: The on-ramp to improving biodiversity is so much shorter than, say, generating new clean energy sources or changing the transportation system. Progress can be immediate, and anyone can take part. Please provide localities with the means to provide leadership in addressing the spigot of nonnative invasives in our communities. Building back biodiversity helps all of our vital ecological services (not just habitat): SWM, clean air/water, less heat islands, temperature regulation, filtration, carbon sequestration, etc. Thank you for your attention.

Please vote in favor of HB388. Trees are working so hard to fight climate change, including by helping to provide shade, reduce stormwater runoff, reduce pollution, provide habitat for wildlife, improving mental health and many other positive actions. You can't drive anywhere in Virginia without seeing the devastating impact that invasive vines are having on the health of our trees. It is overwhelming to understand that millions of these hardworking trees are at risk of being killed by invasive vines. It is critical that localities get funding to address this issue . This bill provides an easy way to fund the important work needed to help protect our trees and it does so with a de minimis impact on homeowners.

Thank you for your service to Virginians. I am writing to ask you to Please support House Bill 388/Senate Bill 89. Invasive vines kill mature native trees, often resulting in damaged infrastructure. Invasive plants do not provide food and adequate habitat for our pollinators. Local jurisdictions do not have enough funds to effectively tackle the invasive plants crisis. HB388/SB89 creates the possibility of a dedicated revenue source for managing invasive plants in our community. Vote yes on House Bill 388/Senate Bill89. Thank you

Please support House Bill 388. Invasive vines kill mature native trees, often resulting in damaged infrastructure. Invasive plants do not provide food and adequate habitat for our pollinators. Local jurisdictions do not have enough funds to effectively tackle the invasive plants crisis. HB388 creates the possibility of a dedicated revenue source for managing invasive plants in our community. I have seen the difference in our community's foliage once the volunteers have removed invasive plants. Vote yes on House Bill 388.

Please support House Bill 388. For the love of our natural areas, invasive species management must become a priority. I’ve been removing invasive plants to save our native vegetation in various Northern Virginia parks for over ten years now and have seen first-hand how these invasive plants degrade previously productive landscapes. State and local budgets are underfunded and these governments often rely on volunteers, like me, to help with their restoration efforts. But volunteers come and go—and are few and far between—resulting in too few of us available to manage the acres and acres of infested wild areas. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), a leading UN body, reported in 2023 that invasive species are a primary driver of biodiversity loss, causing significant harm to ecosystems, economies, and human well-being while contributing to 60% of documented extinctions. With bird populations down by three billion since 1970 and reports of the alarming insect apocalypse, promoting healthy public landscapes is imperative. HB388 creates the possibility of a dedicated revenue source for managing invasive plants in my Northern Virginia community. Please vote yes for HB388. Thank you.

Please support House Bill 388. Invasive species in general are harmful in many ways and local governments do not have the funds to control them, many rely on committed volunters and communities to help rehabilitate infested areas. Invasive species replace native plants, which upsets the food web and provides less healthy food for birds, fish, butterflies, and other wildlife. They destroy native habitats and makes it harder for forests to grow back naturally. They cause some animals and plants to lose their food and homes, which can lead to extinction. They lower the variety of plants, which is important for healthy forests. They can smother and strangle trees and other plants, making it hard for them to grow. They reduce water quality by causing more erosion, filtering water less effectively, and weakening tree stability. Weaker tree stability affects the tree canopy. They block sunlight and kill aquatic plants, reducing food and oxygen for fish and other aquatic life. They change the soil in a way that stops other plants from growing. Invasive vines kill mature native trees, often resulting in damaged infrastructure, homes, vehicles. Eradicating invasive vines is a huge, seemingly never-ending task and many local governments are highly reliant on the work of committed volunteers to make a dent. Drive almost any highway in the state and you can see the stark damage done by invasive vines. Walk through neighborhoods and see similar damage in our parks, open spaces, and backyards. Invasive species—plants, animals, and diseases—cost the United States about $120 billion every year (Pimentel et al. 2005). They cause problems in farming, forestry, fishing, and infrastructure. Invasive species damage recreation opportunities for residents and visitors by degrading natural areas resulting in decline of birds, fish, butterflies and other wildlife. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) 2023 Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account, provides an overview of the significant economic impact of outdoor recreation in Virginia (https://apps.bea.gov/regional/ORSA/pdf/ORSA%20-%20Virginia.pdf): that outdoor recreation in Virginia generated $13.4 billion in value added, accounting for 1.9% of the state’s GDP. This thriving sector also supports 122,405 jobs, underscoring its crucial role in Virginia’s economic landscape. Please support HB 388.

I urge you to support House Bill 388. Invasive vines have taken over vast areas of Virginia, destroying views, covering the landscape and impoverishing the natural vegetation that wildlife depends on. As a decades-long volunteer working to control these invasive plants, I can tell you it is heartbreaking work and impossible to achieve make any progress without serious support from public agencies. This problem is growing worse very quickly. It's a simple question: Are we willing to support efforts to save Virginia's natural beauty and health. Please vote yes on House Bill 388.

Please vote in favor of HB388. We estimate that there are three million trees at risk of being killed by invasive vines in Northern Virginia alone, not to mention the understory in our woods which is becoming an impenetrable mass of invasive shrubs. It is predictable that unless we do something about this, by the end of the century, many and probably most of our remaining natural areas will have imploded, as the trees come down and are not replaced. Addressing this will require a huge effort on the part of all landowners, which notably includes the park systems that currently only have funding to address maybe 10% at best of their land. It only gets more expensive the longer we wait, so creating a a funding source now is a wise investment.

I very strongly urge that HB388 not clear the subcommittee of the Counties, Cities, and Towns Committee. This legislation is ill-considered and extremely poor public policy for many reasons. First, its expansion to include "jurisdiction" over "invasive" plants is a gross and unprecedented attempt to misuse the public service districts for purposes far beyond the purposes for which they were created. Second, this virtually limitless (certainly undefined) expansion poses the risk that the Government's power will be misused not only to address an issue of questionable importance (compared, e.g., to medical care, affordability, law enforcement, children's health, etc.) not only on public property, but also on private property -- raising the specter of the "Plant Police" forcibly removing plants that the homeowner may actually prefer for landscaping, and which poses no public threat, whatsoever. Third, the expansion of "jurisdiction" would bring with it an explosion in costs (and/or at the expense of other programs that actually fall within the original purpose and ambit of the public service districts), which will impose yet more financial burden on homeowners who are already stretched to the breaking point. It is truly ironic that legislation to address "invasive" plants (a term which is eerily reminiscent of pejorative terms for humans not indigenous to this area or members of the ethnic groups that abused and subjugated the indigenous peoples) will, itself, create an invasive and improper government authority (that is also of questionable legality). Please do the right thing -- do not allow this abominable piece of government over-reach to leave the Subcommittee.

I am a Virginia Master Naturalist and Tree Steward, and I volunteer many hours of my time removing invasive plants and vines. I have tackled many infestations that were so severe that they completely engulfed the native trees and shrubs. Our county's natural resources staff provides whatever resources they can, but staff and budget are very limited. What's more, new invasives are arriving all the time. These plants out-compete native plants for light, moisture, and space. The populations of insects, mammals, and birds that require the nourishment of specific native plants (which are disappearing) are in decline. Native bees are more important to the ecosystem than imported honey bees, and the native bees are in also decline. Native wildlife is needed to keep pests in check, but our ecosystems are completely out of balance. As many have noted, trees that are smothered by vines grow weak and fall. Please adopt this bill so that we can get help trying to control these unwanted plants. Thank you.

In regards to providing funding source for control of invasive plant species...one only has to drive any of our roads and streets to see that our trees in Virginia are COVERED with invasive vines that will eventually kill them and damage our ecology. PLEASE help save the trees! Vote yes for Bill 388.

I am a retired wildlife biologist. I spent a good chunk of my career working on endangered species issues. I have seen first-hand how invasive plants can takeover species' habitat and render it uninhabitable. I am also a Virginia Master Naturalist. Every year Master Naturalists, myself included, along with many other volunteers spend tens of thousands of hours removing invasive species. And, we are no match for the invaders. I implore you to add control of invasive plants to the listed powers of service districts (§15.2-2403). Adding this to the listed powers would allow localities more flexibility to effectively manage invasive plants by enabling collaboration among neighboring jurisdictions, and establishing dedicated local funding sources. Thank you

I am writing to urge you to support House Bill 388. Invasive vines and plants are killing mature native trees across our communities, often leading to damaged infrastructure and increased public safety risks. These invasive species do not provide adequate food or habitat for native pollinators, further weakening our local ecosystems. I have seen the damage invasives have done in my own backyard of Loft Ridge Park in Fairfax County. Local jurisdictions simply do not have the funding needed to effectively address the growing invasive plants crisis. Without a sustainable solution, the problem will continue to escalate and become more costly over time. HB 388 creates the possibility of a dedicated revenue source for managing invasive plants, allowing communities to protect native forests, support pollinators, and prevent avoidable infrastructure damage. This proactive approach will save money in the long term while strengthening environmental resilience. I respectfully ask for your support of House Bill 388. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Please support House Bill 388. Invasive vines kill mature native trees, often resulting in damaged infrastructure. Invasive plants do not provide food and adequate habitat for our pollinators. Local jurisdictions do not have enough funds to effectively tackle the invasive plants crisis. HB388 creates the possibility of a dedicated revenue source for managing invasive plants in our community. Vote yes on House Bill 388.

Please support House Bill 388. Invasive vines kill mature native trees, often resulting in damaged infrastructure. Invasive plants do not provide food and adequate habitat for our pollinators. Local jurisdictions do not have enough funds to effectively tackle the invasive plants crisis. HB388 creates the possibility of a dedicated revenue source for managing invasive plants in our community. Vote yes on House Bill 388.

Please vote yes on HB388. Invasive vines kill mature native trees, often resulting in damaged infrastructure. Invasive plants do not provide food and adequate habitat for our pollinators. Local jurisdictions do not have enough funds to effectively tackle the invasive plants crisis - we are rallying as many volunteers as we can, but we cannot keep up. HB388 creates the possibility of a dedicated revenue source for managing invasive plants in our community.

Please support House Bill 388. Invasive vines are a problem throughout Virginia. They kill mature native trees, eliminating the benefits they provide, including shade, carbon capture, pollution reduction, and food and shelter for native animals. Tackling the invasive plants crisis requires a coordinated effort and a dedicated revenue source for the effort, both of which HB 388 provides.

Please vote YES on HB388. I am a homeowner in Northern Virginia, and we all have much to gain from service district(s) to help fund the control of invasive species. The whole area needs to be dealt with, as surrounding untreated areas will continue to be a source of more non-native plants. This is not only a state issue, it's national. I am a member of the Virginia Native Plant Society with friends locally and throughout the state who understand the seriousness of this problem. Please Vote YES on HB388. Sincerely, Donna Murphy

Please support House Bill 388. I have spent countless hours removing ivy and other vines from trees in Northern Virginia and now in my new home, Norfolk. It is hard work, but necessary for tree health and to support our local pollinators and birds. We need more support! Invasive vines kill mature native trees, often resulting in damaged infrastructure. Trees are also key to dealing with rising waters as they absorb thousands of gallons of water. Further, invasive plants do not provide food and adequate habitat for our pollinators. HB388 creates the possibility of a dedicated revenue source for managing invasive plants in our communities. Vote yes on House Bill 388!

Invasive plants threaten our ecosystem and their removal needs to be included in the powers of service districts. Vote yes on House Bill 388

Please support House Bill 388. Invasive vines kill mature native trees, often resulting in damaged infrastructure. Invasive plants do not provide food and adequate habitat for our pollinators. Local jurisdictions do not have enough funds to effectively tackle the invasive plants crisis. HB388 creates the possibility of a dedicated revenue source for managing invasive plants in our community. I have seen English Ivy totally envelop my entire neighborhood choking trees and eliminating and any native plants. We really need our elected officials to do something about this or our entire native ecosystem will be lost. Vote yes on House Bill

Please support House Bill 388. Invasive vines kill mature native trees, often resulting in damaged infrastructure. Invasive plants do not provide food and adequate habitat for our pollinators. Local jurisdictions do not have enough funds to effectively tackle the invasive plants crisis. HB388 creates the possibility of a dedicated revenue source for managing invasive plants in our community. I have been volunteering with the Fairfax County Tree Rescuers and have seen this problem first hand. We have spent hundreds of hours rescuing trees from invasive species that are killing our natural habitat. It is a never ending job and we need legislation to help eliminate the root cause of the problem rather than continuing to band aid the problem. Vote yes on House Bill

I am a homeowner within the Wayside development in northern Vienna and we border Tamarack Park, which follows Difficult Run. The area had been farmed many years ago and as the land laid fallow tulip poplar trees grew and then the land became filled in by many varieties of invasive plants. The forest floor in the park is nearly 100% covered by invasive plants that are preventing germination and/or growth of hardwood trees. Please support House Bill 388 to help mitigate this problem as even maintaining public paths in the park has become problematic due to the aggressive growth of the invasive plants.

I am certified as a Master Gardener in Fairfax County, VA, and am active in our local Master Gardener group. I also am on my street’s (Whitman Road, Annandale, VA) Board of Directors, and have been designated the “Master Gardener” for our HOA. I’m also a member of the Fairfax Invasive Removal Alliance. On my own street, which I have lived on for over 35 years, I have seen invasive vines overtake our “common areas,” killing river birch and other trees that have grown along a creek, and making use of the common area by our community difficult. The expense of addressing this problem is significant. I have led volunteer efforts on our street, but the extent of the vine growth requires professional help. PLEASE pass this legislation to help HOAs with common areas address this huge problem. The park lands in Fairfax County also greatly suffer from invasive vine growth, killing trees. I have volunteered to help address this problem in park lands, but it is so pervasive, we need dedicated funding to get it under control. Thank you for considering my views.

As a constituent of Delegate Shin, I ask that you support House Bill 388. Invasive vines are rampant in our area; they kill mature native trees, and smother out native species. Invasive plants do not provide food and adequate habitat for our pollinators. Local jurisdictions do not have enough funds to effectively tackle the invasive plants crisis. HB388 creates the possibility of a dedicated revenue source for managing invasive plants in our community. Please vote yes on House Bill 388.

Please support House Bill 388, which is a common-sense effort to increase access to resources for invasive plant management by local jurisdictions in Virginia. Invasive plants are a serious problem in our state and around the world. Invasive species of all types (including insects and vertebrates) are estimated to cost upwards of $120 billion of dollars nationally and more than $1 billion in Virginia (according to the VA Invasive Species Working Group) as the result of damage to property, agriculture, native ecosystems, and beyond. Invasive species are one of the top five drivers of biodiversity loss. In our region, rapidly growing invasive vines can quickly smother trees and other native plants, leading to loss of mature trees, stunted forest regrowth, and biological "deserts" devoid of the rich native biodiversity that was once present. Mature trees provide significant value to our communities related to reducing intense stormwater runoff, improving water infiltration into the soil, and providing food and habitat for beloved wildlife. On the other hand, invasive plants have also been associated with other undesirable pests: for example, scientists have found evidence that Lyme-disease carrying ticks are abundant around invasive barberry shrubs. English ivy also creates idea habitat for disease carrying mosquitos. Many local jurisdictions struggle to find the resources needed to slow and reverse the spread of invasive plant species. HB388 would provide access to dedicated revenue source for managing invasive plants, empowering local communities to address this growing problem. Please vote yes on House Bill 388, and please support other efforts to manage invasive species in our state. The longer we wait to act, the more challenging these problems will be. I thank you sincerely for your time and consideration.

Please support House Bill 388. Invasive vines kill mature native trees, often resulting in damaged infrastructure. Invasive plants do not provide food and adequate habitat for our pollinators. Local jurisdictions do not have enough funds to effectively tackle the invasive plants crisis. HB388 creates the possibility of a dedicated revenue source for managing invasive plants in our community. I am a 30 year member of the Virginia Native Plant Society and the fight against invasive plants cannot be won without more support. Vote yes on House Bill 388.

Comments Document

I am writing to you both as a constituent and as a co-founder of Fairfax Invasive Removal Alliance (FIRA). We at FIRA ( https://firaadvocacy.com), have talked to our Fairfax County Supervisors about the need for a unified, comprehensive plan for invasive plant management. While a consultant has been hired, it is clear that whatever recommendations get made, funds will be needed. Our budget—and that of many other jurisdictions in Virginia— does not provide for a reliable funding source for invasive plant management. Meanwhile we are facing tremendous tree loss and diminishing pollinator populations through the state. Please support HB388, https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB388/text/HB388 which would amend the Virginia code on service districts to include invasive plants. This would provide the opportunity for localities like ours to have a reliable funding source for invasive plant management, and thus be able to more effectively tackle the critical invasive plants problem Thank you! Wendy Cohen, with Rekha Dolas FIRA Founders/Organizers