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2024 marks the 40th anniversary of wine in Loudoun County.
Today, Loudoun—DC’s Wine Country®—is a celebrated wine destination with more than fifty wineries producing more than 25 varieties of grapes. However, there is a threat to Loudoun’s wineries, the Spotted Lanternfly and Tree of Heaven—both invasive species that can decimate grapevines, fruit trees and ornamental trees.
The Loudoun Invasive Removal Alliance (LIRA), of which Ashburn Village was the proud founding member, along with 35 other Loudoun HOAs, is partnering with Visit Loudoun, Loudoun Wine and Wine Growers Association and Virginia Cooperative Extension to take action.
On April 6, 2024, we invite you to join us to “Scape for the Grape,” a low-impact day of community service in which we will deploy teams to find and “scrape” Spotted Lanternfly egg masses at various locations throughout the County. We supply scraping cards the size of a credit card and bandanas to identify the teams. While you are looking for egg masses to scrape, teams will also identify and tag the Tree of Heaven for later removal.
The event serves several purposes:
1) create awareness about the growing issue of invasive species in our county; 2) bring residents together in force to support our wineries; and
3) to provide a fun environment for Loudoun residents, families and friends to give back to our community.
Scrape the Grape: April 6, 2024, 10am to 2pm
Weekend of Appreciation: April 6-7, 2024
To thank you for your efforts, Loudoun wineries will show their appreciation through special deals and promotions for all volunteers. All you need to do is bring in your “Scrape for the Grape” branded bandana or scrape card and you will be welcomed, thanked and shown appreciation at Loudoun wineries throughout the weekend.
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