Why it matters

When infestations of invasive plant species become as extensive and severe as they are in the James River Park System, they become a type of habitat destruction. Invasive plants “outcompete” native plant species, eliminating the plant communities that are the foundation of healthy ecosystems and biodiversity.

Healthy riparian habitats are important for slowing and filtering stormwater runoff into streams and rivers, preventing shoreline erosion, stabilizing water temperatures, and providing food and shelter for diverse wildlife on land and in the water. To fulfill all of these vital ecological roles, these areas along our waterways must be made up of the native plant species that evolved in adaptation to the unique environment.

Wildlife can only thrive in interdepence with the plant communities that shared their evolution over millions of years.  Insects (including butterflies), amphibians (frogs, toads, and salamanders), reptiles (turtles, lizards, and snakes), birds, and mammals large and small are all part of an interconnected “food web” held together by an abundance and variety of native vines, flowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees.