Our Projects
BioThrive connects young people with community-based ecological projects designed to reduce the impact of invasive plants on parklands, across northern Virginia and around the world. Scroll on to learn more about how we do it.
Fairfax Fights!: Invasive Management Area Program(IMA)
IMA works to do more than just pull weeds. It’s also habitat restoration and a long-term commitment to parks. Invasive plant species are difficult to remove and control, but with the help of IMA volunteers, undesirable non-native, invasive plants are removed and native plants are returned to the habitat. Native plantings take place in the spring and fall.
McLean Tree Foundation
From its roots in the beautification movement inspired by Lady Bird Johnson, the wife of President Lyndon Johnson, the McLean Trees Foundation has grown into an organization with a much broader agenda. Then the emphasis was almost exclusively on planting trees and shrubs to make a more attractive landscape; now there is a new focus on rebuilding and diversifying McLean’s native tree canopy, restoring native ecosystems, and combatting invasive plants that threaten native trees, plants, and wildlife.
Weed Warrior
The Weed Warrior Volunteer Program was created in 1999 to empower community members to help Montgomery Parks staff manage non-native, invasive plants (NNIs) on parkland. Volunteers are taught to properly identify and manage specific species of NNIs using best management practices.
We inspire and connect people to improve our community. Our volunteers solve local problems and serve as a powerful force toward a healthy, productive and engaged community.
350 FAIRFAX
We are a grassroots movement in Fairfax County, Virginia, challenging systems that lead to catastrophic climate change. Join us as we work with community members and elected officials to preserve environmental health, conserve resources, and promote social justice. Together with other local and national progressive groups, we will create a just and sustainable future for all.
Get Involved!
We can’t wait to welcome you into the BioThrive community! Join us by filling out the form below and we’ll be in touch to confirm your membership and share more information about projects of interest.
Fairfax Fights!: Invasive Management Area Program(IMA)
IMA works to do more than just pull weeds. It’s also habitat restoration and a long-term commitment to parks. Invasive plant species are difficult to remove and control, but with the help of IMA volunteers, undesirable non-native, invasive plants are removed and native plants are returned to the habitat. Native plantings take place in the spring and fall.
McLean Tree Foundation
From its roots in the beautification movement inspired by Lady Bird Johnson, the wife of President Lyndon Johnson, the McLean Trees Foundation has grown into an organization with a much broader agenda. Then the emphasis was almost exclusively on planting trees and shrubs to make a more attractive landscape; now there is a new focus on rebuilding and diversifying McLean’s native tree canopy, restoring native ecosystems, and combatting invasive plants that threaten native trees, plants, and wildlife.
Weed Warriors: Montgomery County Park, MD
Most natural communities support a great variety of native plants and animals. Such biodiversity is threatened when a few plant species take over and dominate the herbaceous, shrub, or canopy layers of a forest. Often it requires a mix of mechanical, chemical, and hand removal efforts to be successful. The key is to find NNI populations when they are small and remove them before they become established.
