Preventing harms from invasive plants

Public service districts provide an existing common-sense policy solution for raising funds to control invasive plants.

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Call Your Legislators

Use Our Handy Call Scripts to Express Your Concerns

Find Your Legislators

  • Expand Powers of Service Districts

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    Document titled 'CALL SCRIPT: Expanding Powers of Service Districts' with points to consider such as being polite, respectful, and following up. Contains sample script text and contact information at the bottom.

  • Close Commercial Viability Loophole

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    Call script document with guidelines on close the commercial viability loophole, including points on politeness, follow-up, and a brief script for calling a legislator about invasive plant control in Virginia. Contact information for Christopher Leyen at southcliffstrategies.com is also included.

  • Manage VDOT Rights-of-Way

    PDF
    Sample call script for Virginia invasive plant control, including tips on politeness and follow-up, with a brief speech and contact information at the bottom.

Educate Your Legislators About Invasive Plants

Use Our Handy Talking Points and One-Page Leave-Behinds

Leave these with your legislator when you meet with them.

Find Your Legislators
  • Virginia's Blue Ridge PRISM 2026 policy agenda includes protecting farmers and communities by removing invasive plants, controlling invasive plants along roads, and empowering local governments to combat invasive species.

    2026 Policy Summary

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  • Document titled 'Managing Invasive Plants at the Local Level,' discussing funding challenges, invasive species impacts, and solutions including expanding service districts. Features sections on the costs of invasive species, examples of damaging infrastructure, protecting tree canopies, and legal frameworks for local governments managing invasive plants.

    Expand Powers of Service Districts

    PDF
  • Document titled 'Stopping the Spread of Invasive Plants' explaining Virginia's efforts to control noxious weeds, including legal restrictions, impacts of invasive plants, and proposed regulatory changes.

    Commercial Viability Loophole

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  • Document titled Support HB88 (Laufer) discussing preventing invasive plant spread along highways, with emphasis on invasive plants on state highways, updated planting restrictions, and management plans.

    Manage VDOT Rights-of-Way

    PDF

Why it matters:

Aligning priorities, empowering communities, managing spread, and continuing mitigation work are all opportunities that will help reverse the spread of invasive plants in Virginia.

Infographic on preventing harms from invasive plants, highlighting importance, threats, opportunities, and policies for managing invasive species in Virginia.
Title slide of a presentation on preventing harms from invasive plants, listing authors and overview.
Multiple nursery pots containing ivy plants with green and variegated leaves, labeled with tags that read "English Ivy" and brand name "Vigoro".

Help get invasive plants out of commerce.

48% of the invasive plants listed on the Virginia Invasive Plant Species List are still available for sale in Virginia. We’re asking America’s largest retail garden center to set the example and STOP selling invasive plants. You can learn more here.

Will you sign the petition today?

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Invasive Plants Available for Sale in Virginia

The invasive plants listed below can still be found at retail garden centers and online sellers who will ship to Virginia.

Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii)
Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)
Beefsteak plant (Perilla frutescens)
Brazilian waterweed (Egeria densa)
Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii)
Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana)
Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense)
Chinese silvergrass (Miscanthus sinensis)
Chinese tallow-tree (Triadica sebifera)
Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis)
Cinnamon vine (Dioscorea polystachya)
Cogon grass (Imperata cylindrica)
Crown-vetch (Securigera varia)
English ivy (Hedera helix)
Five-leaf Akebia (Akebia quinata)
Fountain grass (Cenchrus purpurascens)
Golden bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea)

Greater perwinkle (Vinca major)
Italian Arum (Arum italicum)
Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergi)
Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
Japanese spirea (Spiraea japonica)
Japanese Wisteria (Wisteria floribunda)
Leatherleaf Mahonia (Mahonia bealei)
Linden Arrow-wood (Viburnum dilatatum)
Marsh Dewflower (Murdannia keisak)
Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin)
Moneywort (Lysimachia nummularia)
Nandina (Nandina domestica)
Norway Maple (Acer platanoides)
Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus)
Parrot Feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum)
Periwinkle (Vinca minor)
Porcelain-berry (Ampelopsis glandulosa)

Ravenna Grass (Tripidium ravennae)
Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
Royal Paulownia (Paulownia tomentosa)
Shrubby Bushclover (Lespedeza bicolor)
Siberian Elm (Ulmus pumila)
Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis terniflora)
Thorny Olive (Elaeagnus pungens)
Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
Trifoliate Orange (Citrus trifoliata)
Water Hyacinth (Oshuna crassipes)
White Mulberry (Morus alba)
Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius)
Winged Euonymus (Euonymus alatus)
Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima)
Winter Creeper (Euonymus fortunei)
Yellow Flag (Iris pseudacorus)