To the editor: Have you walked through Potomac Overlook Regional Park recently? The largest park in the Northern Virginia regional-park system, today the future of this park’s forest canopy is bleak.
You will look a long time to find even a few oak, poplar, hickory or other native tree seedlings to replace the park’s century-plus-year-old-trees. Native plants, including tree seedlings, are among white-tailed deer’s favorite foods.
Action by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority board and by Arlington County leaders to reduce the deer overpopulation is long overdue.
At least Arlington finally is stepping up. County officials have taken seriously the urgent question of how to protect our native ecosystems from predation by the native white-tailed deer. With no predators other than the occasional motor vehicle, deer populations in parts of the county are out of control.
If anything, county officials are taking an excruciatingly long time to act – it will be two more years before sharpshooting professionals fire the first shots.
Members of the County Board and County Manager Mark Schwartz also need to take seriously the other catastrophic threat to Arlington’s quality of life provided by mature trees – relentless slaughter of countless healthy mature trees by developers. Allowing hundreds of multi-million-dollar houses to replace mature trees and modest dwellings undermines Arlington’s vibrant diversity and quality of life.
Joy Oakes, Arlington
