The Understory – March 27, 2026

March 27, 2026 9:00 am

Throwing Shade VA: Get Native Plants for Less

DOF has partnered with nurseries around Virginia to help you save on your planting projects this spring! The Throwing Shade VA discount program is available now, offering a $25 discount on a wide variety of native plants at 31 participating locations.

Visit any participating location to find native plants with the Throwing Shade VA tag. Use your smartphone to scan the QR code and complete a short survey. Then show the completed survey at checkout to get $25 off each plant. Find your nearest participating location: https://ow.ly/cikK50YoekH

Community Wildfire Mitigation in Roanoke

DOF’s Western Region staff recently completed a project on Mill Mountain in Roanoke to reduce the risk of wildfires. Located near the city’s downtown area, Mill Mountain features steep, forested slopes, a municipal park and a zoo. These factors make the area especially vulnerable to wildfires.

Taking proactive measures, DOF completed a 6.5-acre shaded fuel break by removing woody vegetation from the understory. This improves the probability of successful wildfire containment by preventing fire growth and spread. The team also improved a trail to serve as a fire line, which cuts fire off from ground fuels.

“DOF used wildfire risk data and guidance from the community’s wildfire preparedness plan to identify key areas for mitigation work and protect critical infrastructure atop the mountain,” said Fire Mitigation Specialist Erik Platt. “The plan brings together important stakeholders – including DOF, Roanoke City, the Mill Mountain Zoo, the local fire department, and surrounding neighborhoods – to work collaboratively to achieve shared objectives.”

“This project took weeks of planning, site visits, and boots on the ground work, made possible by people coming together to promote good forestry as well as responsible stewardship of the land we all share,” said Western Region Urban Forester Rachel Kim. “Projects like this enhance forest health and improve fire safety.”

Learn how you can help protect your community from wildfire on DOF’s website.

Order Your Tree Seedlings by April 30

DOF’s online seedling store closes April 30! Hurry to BuyVATrees.com to place your order and get your trees in time for planting season.

Approximately 40 tree and shrub species are still available, but inventory is getting low. Popular species still in stock include pawpaw, black cherry, American hazelnut, white oak and sweetbay magnolia.

Nursery staff began lifting seedlings in February and are now shipping orders. Your purchase helps us grow more trees at our self-supported nurseries. Whether you are buying five trees or 5,000, we appreciate your business.

Category: Administration