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Discover Fauquier
April 2024
32
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SPRING 2024
INSTALLATION!
Early spring is tree planting time! Whether
it's 300 bareroot seedlings planted on
an acre of streamside farmland, or a
flowering shrub added to a front yard in
town, each new planting has the potential
to add beauty to the landscape, enhance
wildlife habitat, and help moderate
climate, all at the same time.
Trees built the country. From colonial area
ship masts made of towering white oaks
to Southern red pine lumber, America's
forests filled the needs of our growing
nation. Planting new trees assures forest
products will continue to be available for
a host of industries. Reforestation has
also become a critical part of the nation's
efforts to stabilize land after wildfire and
help sequester carbon, a leading culprit
in climate change.
State agencies and local conservation
organizations start ramping up on
planting seedlings shortly after the new
year begins. Riparian buffers, which
are created when livestock producers
fence their stream frontage, provide
an expansive natural canvas for the
groups to jumpstart a young forest. Yet,
local homeowners need not feel left out.
Adding a few new trees or shrubs to their
yard-scape can provide many benefits.
Studies conducted by John Marshall
Soil and Water Conservation District
as part of a National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation grant revealed that songbird
utilization of the planted space increased
Kris Jarvis
Conservation Specialist
John Marshall Soil & Water Conservation District
within one year of the tree planting. Even
young trees enhanced the mid-height
vegetation layer that is often missing in
the surrounding environment.
Trees also help moderate the temperature
in nearby homes, helping residents save
on energy costs. However, anyone who
has endured structural damage from a
fallen limb or has experienced conflict
with a neighbor knows trees require
careful planning. The gardening adage
"Right Plant Right Place" certainly
applies.
Fortunately, there are abundant local
and web-based resources that can assist
homeowners in selecting the tree species
that is right for them. Conservation
organizations promote the use of native
plants. Observing the mature trees in
nearby forests provides clues about which
tree species thrive in the site's elevation,
soils, drainage patterns, and orientation
to the sun. In recent years, several local
nurseries have added native plants to
their inventory. Lists are maintained at:
plantvirginianatives.org/.
The Virginia Department of Forestry sells
bareroot seedlings and provides how-to
information through their website:
dof.
virginia.gov. For the best selection,
particularly of flowering shrubs, order
early, but several species will still be
available later this spring.
As the planting season concludes,
regional nonprofits such as We Plant
Trees, Goose Creek Association, and
Friends of the Rappahannock may
announce giveaway days dependent
upon the availability of leftover stock.
Those interested should visit their
organizational websites or Facebook
pages.
Most of the land east of the Mississippi
wants to be a forest, so in theory it should
not be difficult to get a tree to grow.
Yet development, including housing,
compacts soil and interrupts what would
be the natural accumulation of organic
matter that plants need. The local chapter
of Virginia Master Gardener, sponsored
by Virginia Cooperative Extension, can
provide information on subjects such as
plant diseases. Master Gardener Hotline
volunteers who help troubleshoot plant
growing challenges can be reached at
(540) 341-7950.
Spring is Here:
Let's do Some Planting!
District manager Melissa Allen and
her daughter, Sarah, protect a newly
planted tree with tree tube and stake
during a vounteer tree planting
several years ago,