English ivy, porcelainberry and Oriental bittersweet are invasives that are out of control and should be on the list. Just go to any neighborhood,  park or VDOT right of way, and you can witness how they choke everything in their path.

By closing its eyes to the damage that English ivy, porcelainberry and Oriental bittersweet are doing to trees, the Commonwealth closes its eyes to the resulting increase in flooding, property storm water damage, loss of clean water and deterioration of our private and public spaces. An increasing tax burden will be required to mitigate the consequences of tree canopy loss.

The current list omitting English ivy, porcelainberry and Oriental bittersweet is a missed opportunity to educate the public. We can and need to do better.