NPS temporarily halts tree clearing along GW Parkway after pushback

By Amelia Davidson | 10/17/2024 04:21 PM EDT

The tree removal is part of a National Park Service project to improve views of the Potomac River along the scenic roadway.

A man and a woman look out at the Potomac River and a piece of land that has been cleared of trees.

Glenn Tobin (foreground) and Arlington County Board member Susan Cunningham look at a part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway where trees have been cut down between Spout Run and Windy Run in Virginia. Joy Tobin

A National Park Service effort to clear Potomac River vistas along the George Washington Memorial Parkway has been paused following a backlash about native trees being removed.

The office of Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) confirmed that the tree cutting has temporarily stopped. NPS did not respond to requests for comment or to confirm their stop work order.

NPS announced in late September that the agency planned to selectively remove trees to “restore scenic vistas” in a Virginia stretch of the over 25-mile parkway that runs beside the Potomac. The park service planned to cut down mostly nonnative and invasive species, a project announcement said.

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But last week, Glenn Tobin, who works with the Arlington Regional Master Naturalists and has volunteered extensively along the parkway, came across sections that he said had been clearcut, with native trees cut down. Tobin, who said he was speaking for himself and not ARMN, documented the removal of oaks, elms, pawpaws and hickories, among others.

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