Garden plot stewards with garden folding seat and tool kits donated by Microsoft Corporation.

The Fairfax County Park Foundation is grateful to Microsoft Corporation for their support of the Park Authority’s IMA (Invasive Management Area program) and the Garden Plot Stewards.

Through their partnership with the Society for Ecological Restoration, Microsoft donated more than $31,000 in 2024 and 2023 to help remove invasive species and plant native plants in parks.

The Park Authority has more than 23,000 acres. Unfortunately, more than one-third is infested with non-native invasive species of plants and shrubs that cause ecological or economic harm. Non-native invasive species reduce tree cover, decrease water quality, increase erosion and litter and create more habitats for other invasive species. The more 300 invasive plant species in our area further degrade the natural resources by threatening native tree, shrub and understory species diversity, weighing down tree trunks and branches and creating impenetrable thickets that block out sunlight. Invasive species also diminish the quality of wildlife habitat and the outdoor recreation experience for residents, making parkland unattractive and uninviting. Each natural area in Fairfax County is valuable and these ecosystems should be healthy, native forests.

Partnerships with corporations like Microsoft bring critical resources to help beautify our parks.

Microsoft also donated $10,000 worth of garden folding seat and tool kits that were donated to our garden plot stewards who had been with the program for ten years or more.

The mission of the Fairfax County Park Authority Community Garden Plot Rental Program is to give Fairfax County residents the opportunity to garden. The Fairfax County Park Authority rents more than 700 garden plots in eleven county parks to Fairfax County residents on an annual basis.

The Garden Plot Program is on the forefront of the One Fairfax Initiative. Our garden tenants represent the full range of diversity that is present in the County, including all socioeconomic strata.

The gardeners appreciated the garden kits that helped them to work low to the ground in a comfortable position. “Due to knee replacements, I can’t kneel, so being able to sit while I plant and weed will solve a problem for me. What a nice donation from Microsoft”, stated a grateful gardener.

Donate to FCPF to help the Invasive Management Area Program!