It’s a little before 9 a.m. on a Saturday morning in July. There’s a small crowd gathering by a picnic table next to an old schoolhouse in Oakton. Armed with water bottles, they suit-up with heavy duty garden gloves and sunscreen. Who are these people looking ready to take on some sort of horticultural mission? None other than the IMA volunteers of Oakton Community Park.

The Fairfax County Park Authority Invasive Management Area program, better known as IMA, is a volunteer-led, community project that aims to reduce invasive plants in our parks. At Oakton Community Park, volunteers have been working diligently for the past four years to protect their beloved neighborhood park.

As the group waits for everyone to arrive, IMA site leaders Karin Lehnigk and Willow Martin greet us and start our session on the invasive plants we’ll tackle. They pass around samples of Japanese Stiltgrass and Wavyleaf Basketgrass, making note of each plant’s identifying features and growth habits so that volunteers can be sure of what they’re pulling. Karin explains that Wavyleaf Basketgrass makes it harder for saplings and wildflowers to emerge through the dense cover that its foliage creates. By removing it, we’d be making space for native plants to survive and thrive.

After the education session, people start to disperse into smaller groups. Some search through the groundcover for Wavyleaf to hone their plant ID skills while others opt to channel their inner Godzilla by pulling out huge swaths of Stiltgrass. The work is satisfying, and we take breaks to share cool bug sightings and chat with newfound friends. The two hours go by quickly thanks to good company and forest’s shady reprieve. By the end, we can see the impact we’ve made—where the trail was lined with Stiltgrass is now space for new native plants to be seeded. We make the trek back to the picnic bench where we started, with at least 10 giant bags of invasive plants in tow.

After taking a minute to check for any invasive seed stragglers that may have stuck to our shoes or clothes, we refuel with cold water and share snacks that the site leaders kindly brought. Students get their service hours approved, and people reflect on their experience volunteering that day, with many sharing how accomplished they feel.

First-timer Lindsay Hollins explains what brought her to the IMA volunteer program— “I just wanted to give back, and I’ve seen people working back here at the park. I think it’s a fun thing to do, so I thought, well, why not?” It’s mid-July and we’ve just spent a few hours working outside, but Lindsay has a huge smile on her face as she says, “I feel energized. Yeah, I feel good!”

Ready to join our team of native plant protector? Experience the power of a community working together towards a common goal—sign up to be an IMA Volunteer today!