Here’s another Washington Post article on the tree clearing project at Manassas National Battlefield. Please read through the comments – there are a ton of them. While not all well reasoned or well written, they are enlightening. We who consider ourselves battlefield preservationists need to have a clear understanding of the perspectives of those who do not share our interests. Their priorities are often different from ours, but no less valid as far as they are concerned.
See earlier articles here and here.
Hat tip to pal Brian Downey.
Above photo of tree clearing from washingtonpost.com
Harry Smeltzer
Bull Runnings 
The problem is that Prince William County has allowed developers to cut down almost every tree in the county outside the Park. Now they are concerned that the park wants to cut a small portion of its trees for scene restoration. Hypocrisy at its best!
LikeLike
Yes indeed David. Selective outrage. I’d have to go back and look up the “book definition” of ecosystem, but I seem to recall even an agriculturally active field has an ecosystem. Personally I’d like to see the ecosystem of the open field, ca. 1863 in place at selected locations in the park. Meanwhile lets get the ecosystem of ca. 1605 with all the trees, etc, in place, oh… perhaps near the location of the Nissan Pavillion?
LikeLike
[…] A few days ago, the Washington Post ran a piece on the tree cutting at Manassas (covered also on Harry Smeltzer’s blog). The major complaint, expressed by officials interviewed in the article and by comments on the […]
LikeLike