Fairfax Tree Rescuers PRISM
November 26, 2025
Fairfax Tree Rescuers PRISM (Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management) got off to a high-impact start with its inaugural Week of Action from November 8-16. During this week, 486 volunteers rescued 1518 trees at 26 events across Fairfax County. Whether the events drew 40 people or a small-but-mighty four, we were able to share our mission, educate people about the threat invasive species pose to our ecosystems, have some fun, and most importantly, SAVE TREES!
A number of public officials were on hand at some of the events to show their support and to see firsthand how the community can come together to tackle this important problem, including: Congressman James Walkinshaw, Del. Dan Helmer, Supervisors Walter L. Alcorn (Hunter Mill), James N. Bierman, Jr. (Dranesville), Dalia A. Palchik (Providence), and Daniel G. Storck (Mount Vernon), school board member Karl Frisch (Providence), and Park Authority Board member, Mike Reynolds (Providence District PAB).
During the November 14 event at Middleridge Park, Delegate Helmer recognized Fairfax Tree Rescuers PRISM with a certificate of commendation: “The House of Delegates of the Commonwealth of Virginia hereby offers sincerest congratulations to Fairfax Tree Rescuers PRISM (Partnership for Regional Invasives Species Management) in recognition of their work clearing the nonnative wisteria vines in Fairfax County.”
Let’s keep the momentum going! Fairfax Tree Rescuers PRISM has numerous volunteer opportunities— visit our website for additional details. And keep in mind…
Winter is a great time to rescue trees!
Besides doing this at home or in your own neighborhood, there are numerous events on public property which you can find on the PRISM Event Calendar. This is also a good time to get trained to work independently on public land. It is much easier to see the vines when the leave are off, and the weather is cooler.
Partner Highlight: Fairfax Invasive Removal Alliance (FIRA)
Our PRISM is a stewardship organization, different from FIRA, which is an advocacy organization. FIRA has created a coalition of neighborhood associations and other supporters to stand behind their work to promote better public policy. This has included working with the Supervisors to advocate for a county-wide plan as well as for budget support of invasives management in the parks. They also are advocating with the General Assembly, most notably to have invasive plants added to the Service District law. This would allow local jurisdictions, if they so choose, to create a dedicated fee to support invasive plant awareness and control. If you live in a community association, please sign up with them! https://firaadvocacy.com/
Plunge into freezing water?
Are you crazy enough to go swimming (very briefly) in February? The CCAN Polar Plunge takes place on February 7, 2026. If you sign up through us, half the proceeds will go to Fairfax Tree Rescuers PRISM and the other half to the host, the Chesapeake ClimateAction Network. Email
Don’t like the cold? Giving Tuesday is next Tuesday, December 2.
You can support us from the warmth of your own home by making a donation, either from our website or this link.
Our progress:
136 Community Representatives
Our Community Representatives are in the process of surveying area parks and conducting site visits; stay tuned for future updates! And below find the results of our kickoff events.
Following are examples of the impact of our Week of Action:
November 8
1. Rolling Valley West Part event - 42 trees, 16 volunteers
2. Accotink Gorge event - 35 trees, 27 volunteers
3. Laurel Hill event - 7 trees, 4 volunteers
4. Annandale Community Park event - 150+ trees, 40 volunteers
5. W&OD Dunn Loring @ MM 9.5 - 8 trees (plus planting), 12 volunteers
6. Mount Vernon event - 18 trees, 8 volunteers
November 9
1. Piney Run event - 1.5 trees, 10 volunteers
2. Huntley Meadow event - 21 trees, 16 volunteers
3. Masterbrook-Greenway Downs event - 75 trees, 25 volunteers
November 11
1. Southside Park event - 4 or 5 trees, 14 volunteers
2. Hunters Branch event - 4 volunteers
3. Oakmont Park event - 50 trees, 17 volunteers
November 15
1. Clifton ES event - 25 trees, 11 volunteers
2. Gil McCutheon Park - 122 trees, 20 volunteers
3. Lake Fairfax - 58 trees, 17 volunteers
4. Pleasant Hill - 2 trees, 7 volunteers
5. Laurel Hill event - 4 trees, 8 volunteers
6. Lewinsville Park - 25 trees, 5 volunteers
7. South Run Regency event - 15 trees, 14 volunteers
8. Hunters Green Cluster - at least 43 trees, 28 volunteers
9. Oakmont - 15 trees, 40 volunteers
November 16
1. Haycock Longfellow Park: 731 trees, 102 volunteers
2. Piney Branch event 70 trees, 14 volunteers
Why Trees Matter
So, you know Fairfax Tree Rescuers PRISM’s mission is to rescue trees from invasive vines, but why is this important? Trees offer benefits beyond their beauty: they cool our neighborhoods, reduce air pollution, offer health benefits, support stormwater management, and provide food and shelter for our local wildlife. Invasive vines take over the trees, ultimately killing them by denying them sunlight, providing a vector for disease, and weighing them down to the point they can topple.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, neighborhoods with leafy tree canopies can be up to seven degrees Fahrenheit cooler than “urban heat islands,” those neighborhoods without trees, where the asphalt absorbs heat during the day and continues radiating it through the night. In addition, trees filter particulates from the air, making it cleaner, and reduce stormwater runoff by slowing rainwater’s descent to earth. The leaves and bark absorb and hold water, releasing it slowly into the environment, rather than rushing into streams and rivers, where they carry harmful pollutants and sediments with them.
If that weren’t enough, trees benefit human health, both mental and physical. Many of us learned from experience during the pandemic how being in nature improved our mood, and the popularity of forest bathing illustrates the continued interest in the stress-relieving effects of trees. But did you know trees also help our immune systems? They release chemicals called phytoncides that can increase our immune response, according to a meta-study published in Science Direct.
Add to that the fundamental role trees play in our ecosystems, providing food and shelter for numerous birds, insects, mammals, and reptiles, each with their own role in keeping the whole healthy, and you can see why trees are worth saving, and only YOU can save the trees!
Learn about invasive vines:
Knowledge is power, and learning about the invasive vines threatening our trees in Fairfax County and how to stop them is the first step in saving the trees. Each month, we'll highlight a particular invasive vine, how to identify it, why it's harmful to trees, and how to save the trees from it. The following article appears on our website, along with additional information and resources.
Oriental Bittersweet: The Beautiful, Vicious Tree-Killer You Need to Fight Now
Strangler, Ripper, Smotherer. That's the terrifying but fitting nickname for Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), and if you live in an area like Fairfax, you've seen its destruction firsthand. This non-native vine was once innocently planted for its beautiful, persistent red and yellow berries, perfect for wreaths. What a costly mistake that turned out to be! It is now one of the most common and aggressive tree-killing invaders in our forests.
Why is it Such a Menace?
This isn't just a weed; it's a tree executioner. The damage Oriental Bittersweet (also known as Asiatic Bittersweet) inflicts is brutal:
- The Strangler: The vines wrap tightly around the host tree. As the vine grows thicker, it begins to girdle the tree, constricting the flow of nutrients and water until the tree dies.
- The Smotherer: It relentlessly climbs to the very top of tall trees, creating a thick mat of leaves that smothers the canopy stealing precious sunlight from the tree below.
- The Ripper: Once it gets established, the sheer weight and tension of its thick, heavy vines can literally tear large branches limb from limb, weakening the tree structure until it eventually pulls the entire thing down.
Spotting the Enemy (The Time to Act is Now!)
Late fall and winter are actually the perfect time to spot this invasive killer. Why? Because the leaves of the Bittersweet turn a telltale bright yellow and hang on a little longer than other plants, dramatically calling attention to the vine as it climbs up the tree trunk. The signature red berries inside a yellow shell make identification simple.
Even without the berries, you can learn to recognize it year-round with a little practice:
- Leaves: They are typically widest further from the stem, giving them an upside-down egg shape.
- Older Stems: Look for thick, ropy vines that are off-white with black marks.
- Younger Stems: These are dark brown with small bumps, but be careful--they can easily be mistaken for native shrubs you are trying to save!
How to Fight Back
Finding Oriental Bittersweet is the first step; removing it is the next. You have two options for dealing with an infestation:
1. Save the Tree (Immediate Action)
For a vine currently strangling a large tree, your immediate goal is to save the host.
- Cut: Simply cut the vine completely in two places: near the ground and about waist high. Everything above the cut will die and eventually fall off the tree.
- WARNING: Do not try to pull the dead vine off the tree immediately--you could bring down a dead branch on your head!
2. Kill the Roots (Permanent Solution)
Cutting the vine is only a temporary fix, as the roots will quickly resprout. To prevent a comeback, you must treat the roots:
- Pull by Hand: For small, young vines, you can manually pull out the entire root system. You will immediately notice they are a distinct, orange color.
- Treat the Stump: For larger, established vines, the best method is to dab a concentrated herbicide directly onto the fresh-cut stump. This should be done immediately after cutting for best results, and is effective any time of year except the spring, when the sap is rising.
This winter, as you walk your neighborhood or local trails, keep an eye out for those striking yellow leaves and thick, winding vines. By identifying and removing Oriental Bittersweet, you can help save our native trees from this aggressive invader!
Happy Thanksgiving!
On the eve of Thanksgiving, Fairfax Tree Rescuers PRISM has a lot to be thankful for:
1. You! We could not do this without your interest, action, and support, thank you!
2. Our successful launch and our many partner organizations that helped to make it happen: Sustainability Matters, Virginia Native Plant Society-Potowmack Chapter, Fairfax Master Naturalists, Fairfax Invasive Removal Alliance, Friends of Huntley Meadows Park, Earth Sangha, Northern Virginia Conservation Trust, Friends of Accotink Creek, Friends of Dyke Marsh, Friends of Holmes Run, Fairfax Tree Stewards, Northern Virginia Bird Alliance, Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District, Clean Fairfax, City of Fairfax Urban Forestry and Sustainability, Town of Clifton, Fairfax ReLeaf, Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions, Nature Forward, and Fairfax County Public Schools Get2Green. We are grateful for your collaboration and look forward to future successes together!
3. Our public officials: Many thanks to Congressman Walkinshaw, Del. Helmer, Supervisors Alcorn, Bierman, Palchik, and Storck, school board member Frisch, and Park Authority Board member Reynolds for joining us and showing your support during our inaugural events.
4. Our Community Representatives: you not only represent your communities, but also represent the heart of what we do, thank you!