Reforestation of NW Corner
The most ambitious restoration undertaken by FOBNP thus far!
Supported by the Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities, FOBFNP undertook a large reforestation project in the northwest portion of the park (north and west of the Ridgetop Recreation Areas’s tennis courts). This area was terribly infested with invasive Chinese wisteria, which winds tightly around trees causing death of the host by girdling or by excessive weight which topples the tree. The wisteria had already brought down many large trees and they threatened all the rest if not suppressed.
With support from the Department of Parks, in March 2025 we were awarded a grant from the Virginia Department of Forestry under its Trees for Clean Water program. This grant paid for a forestry mulcher contractor to chip/shred the wisteria and other invasive vines, leaving this mulch on the ground to enrich the soil as it degrades and also preventing erosion. The grant also paid for the purchase of a great number of trees and woody shrubs which have been planted in the area. (A list of all purchases made under the grant is available here.)
A July 2025 grant from the Martin Family Foundation augmented the Virginia Department of Forestry grant. This additional funding allowed us to acquire significantly more plants including some larger trees and shrubs as well as woodland perennials/groundcovers. These funds also allowed for the expansion of planting beyond the original half-acre area. (A list of the purchases made under the grant so far is available here; additional planting funded by the grant will take place after the trail through the area is established.)
Including donated plants, 290 trees and shrubs and over 150 woodland perennials have been planted. We will provide supplementary water for these plantings for the first two years.
Below we document the impact and progress made of the reforestation project through a series of before and after photos and videos.
Videos taken from the path on northern edge of the park
Before, September 2024
After, May 2026
Before, March 2025
To prepare for the forestry mulcher, volunteers spent many, many hours clearing around the trees that had not been killed by the wisteria
After, May 2026
The forestry mulcher chipped/shredded the wisteria and other invasive vines, leaving the mulch to enrich the soil as it decomposes
After, May 2026
Before, April 2025
Here are additional before and after photos showing the impact and progress as of May 2026
From path at northern boundary of park, September 2024
May 2026
Along park boundary with Ridgetop tennis courts, April 2025
May 2026
March 2025 after volunteers cleared around trees but before forestry mulching
May 2026
A great deal has been accomplished, but lots of work remains
The Richmond Parks Department’s Trail Crew will establish a trail through this section of the park later this year, and some additional planting will be done after the trail is completed.
The wisteria and other invasive vines are down but not out in this area. Volunteers will continue to root up wisteria stingers sending up sprouts as well as pull up English ivy, wintercreeper, and other invasive vines.
April - September, FOBFNP volunteers will water the new plantings any week in which we don’t get 1” of rainfall.
FOBFNP would love to have your help! Sign up to volunteer with our Weed Warrior group or at our semi-annual volunteer events, learn more here.
FOBFNP owes a debt of gratitude to the following:
Virginia Department of Forestry for selecting our proposal and entrusting FOBFNP to complete a project of this scale and scope.
Martin Family Foundation who provided funds to allow us to expand the scope and scale of the reforestation project.
Richmond’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities for supporting the project, and especially to former Community Engagement Manager Kate Rivara who on two occasions jumped in to provide essential help to move the project forward.
Our contractor Ches Goodall with Virginia Forestry and Wildlife Group for critical help and advice (and to Anna Aquino for connecting us with Ches).
Ridgetop Recreation Association for their help and cooperation and especially for providing water to establish new plantings.
The many volunteers who devoted hundreds and hundreds of hours to make this project a success, especially the Weed Warrior group including Dana Blackmer, Shelly Dean, Dave Harless, Teja Kinney, Alston and Vernon Knapp, Paige Langdon, Andrea Larson, Bill Parks, Bryan Puckett, and Trisha Valentine.
Richmond Tree Steward, FOBFNP member, and Weed Warrior Sharon Harless who served as the project manager, and put in an immense amount of time writing the grant, developing the tree planting plan, selecting and purchasing plants, organizing planting events, and planning and developing plans to water the plants efficiently.