The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is mounting a very important campaign that would benefit tree preservation in the County, especially for stormwater control during development and in Resource Protections Areas designated along all of Arlington’s streams. The CBF has provided a model email that you can send to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) demanding stronger regulations across the State that give Arlington and other counties more authority to preserve trees. To learn more, send an email, and/or get updates on these regulations go to this site. Please participate right away and share this site with as many other advocates as possible. This is a way to implement the call to action in the February 12th post on this site explaining the Regulation Process.
The CBF’s email includes powerful wording that targets tree and vegetation protections:
“I request that the regulations do more to promote the use of trees for water quality and other natural resources benefits. Trees enable water to infiltrate into the soil, reducing localized flooding. They capture stormwater runoff, improving water quality. They also stabilize steep-slope shorelines, reducing erosion and loss of property. Therefore, DEQ should revise its proposal to include an outright prohibition on the removal of mature trees within the RPA for sight lines or vistas. In addition, please allow localities to incentivize the preservation of trees and provide them the authority to enforce tree preservation provisions.”
The CBF provides additional information below:
Public Comment Opportunity – Trees and New Chesapeake Bay Regulations