October 29, 2025

Falling into Winter with the Invasive Warriors

As the seasons change, our work continues! The Invasive Warriors will be active in the woodlands throughout fall and winter—an ideal time to tackle invasive species. Why? Because invasive vines keep their green leaves long after our native plants have gone dormant, making them easier to spot and remove. Plus, with the summer brush dying back and fewer ticks around, it’s a pleasant time to work outdoors.

Please JOIN US for our workdays:

November 8th and November 18th, 

December 6th and 16th,

January 3rd and 13th,

from 9-11:30AM.

Meet at the Club first

weather permitting.

Got questions about weather updates or ideas for future Speaker events?

Send an email to invasivewarrior@glenmore-community.org

Spring Speaker Series Sneak Peek:

We’re planning to kick our Speaker Series off next year with a talk by Brian Morse, of Virginia Forestry and Wildlife Group in February 2026. He’ll share findings and insights from his recent survey of Glenmore’s 480 acres of common space, focusing on the diversity and density of invasive species there.

Looking Ahead:

While our fieldwork will continue throughout fall and winter, our Green Earth Stewardship Newsletter will take a short break for the holidays. Don’t worry, the Newsletter will return in the Spring! 

WHO are the Invasive Warriors and WHAT are we doing?

As we step away from our typewriters for a few months, we thought we’d answer these burning questions by sharing a few thoughts and photos of your Glenmore neighbors at work!

Photos below courtesy of Liza Moorman

Pictured here are some of the Invasive Warrior group, in order left to right: in foreground Diana Ferguson (kneeling) and Liza Moorman. Standing in back: Mary Kelleher, John Azzone, Joe Poland, Cathy Skelly, Liz Burns, Anne Poland, Eve Schwarz, Ruth Iwano.

We are your Glenmore neighbors volunteering to take care of our common areas and trails. And we are having fun doing it! The 7 Invasive Warrior sector leaders, and other neighborhood volunteers get together to identify, treat and remove invasive plants and while doing so we laugh, share stories, and enjoy the gratification of working with our hands. We get to see the results of our work both in the increased health of the common areas over time, but often the satisfaction is immediate, like when we cut and treat an invasive vine that has climbed up to encase and strangle a tree. You can just about feel the tree take a deep breath when the vine is removed!!

(picture 1): A tree encased in invasive vines, like Asiatic Bittersweet and Japanese Honeysuckle.

(picture 2): Liz Burns and John Azzone hold the large Bittersweet vine they removed from a tree. 

We go out twice each month into different sections of the common area to find and manage invasive species and support the growth of native trees and shrubs. We are always glad to welcome anyone who can join us to help in whatever capacity they can.  

(picture 1): Mary Kelleher and John Azzone work in the woods between Darby West and the 16th Fairway.  

(picture 2): Anne and Joe Poland work cut and treat invasive vines on one of the trails. 

(picture 1): Bob Cox stands by a tree with multiple invasive vines climbing its trunk. 

(picture 2): Anne Poland, Nancy Canavan, Cathy Skelly, and Liz Burns work on Glen Lochen Pond.

(photo 1): Liza Moorman and Diana Ferguson treat invasive Tree of Heaven near the Equestrian Center. 

(photo 2): Liz Burns and Diana Ferguson prepare to treat 2 large Tree of Heaven 

(picture 1): Ruth Iwano, John Azzone, and Joe Poland pull and treat Japanese stiltgrass on Pendower trail. 

And we spend time educating ourselves about the environment and plants, both invasive and native, and learn how to better take care of our green spaces, both natural and landscaped. 

(picture 2) Brian Morse talks to a group of Glenmore residents about reforestation and restoration.

(photos 1-3): Chloe Hawkins, Landscape Architect, talks to Glenmore residents about native planting and landscape design at the Spring Speaker Series. 

(photo 1): Carla Passarello, Conservation Chair of Garden Club of America, teaches the Invasive Warriors about how to manage invasives and promote native plant growth.