Dove’s Landing Named a Top Conservation Priority
235-Acre Site in Occoquan Watershed in Prince William County

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Deborah M. Westbrooke, 301-986-5959/301-219-1100, [email protected]
Charles Maier, Kris Warner, 301-424-4141, [email protected]

Washington, DC (October 22, 2008) – A beautiful waterfront location in Prince William County, Virginia is a “conservation priority” in the greater Washington region, according to a new report issued today on the urgent need to preserve distinctive conservation locations.

Dove’s Landing is a top environmental target of the Regional Conservation Priorities, the annual report of the Washington Smart Growth Alliance which is based in Bethesda, MD. One of six priorities for 2008 identified by the Alliance, Dove’s Landing is a 235-acre site located at the confluence of Cedar Run and Broad Run, south of Lake Jackson in Prince William County.

“Dove’s Landing was selected because it has been publicly owned for more than a decade but is not fully protected or available for general use,” said Sam Black, president of the Alliance.

According to the Regional Conservation Priorities report, the site includes a one-mile buffer along the Occoquan River and encompasses high quality wetland areas, significant floodplains and upland forests within the Occoquan Reservoir watershed. The property has been in public ownership since 1996, but is not permanently protected by conservation easements or deed
restrictions. It is closed to public use.

Prince William County officials are now seeking grant funds to support a survey of three potential archeological sites, which will help determine future uses of the property. Dove’s Landing has great potential to address Prince William’s goals for passive recreation, linkage to trails and green space.

The other five priorities for 2008 are:

• The Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail along the
  tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay

• Long Bridge Park on the Potomac in Arlington County

• George Washington Maryland Conservation Area across the Potomac
  from Mount Vernon

• A proposed greenway to link the circle of Civil War forts and earthen
  defenses that surrounded the nation’s capital

• The 40 original boundary stones that outlined the District of Columbia.

The goal of the Regional Conservation Priorities List is to promote conservation initiatives that contribute most to our future quality of life. The Conservation Priorities report notes that by 2030, the National Capital Region is expected to increase by two million people and more than 1.6 million jobs, adding pressure to historic sites and natural environments.

“In the face of concerns about climate change and rising energy costs, the prospect of this growth raises serious questions about the patterns of land use and development in this region,” said Black. “In fact, the typical suburban growth patterns we continue to experience are probably not sustainable, especially over the long term.”

The Smart Growth Alliance’s programs seek to promote the overall sustainability of the region by encouraging smart growth alternatives such as compact and infill development that can be more affordable for citizens in the short term and more sustainable over the long term. At the same time, it is clear that smart conservation – preserving working open space, parkland or natural areas and restoring green components of urban environments - can help shape growth patterns over time, as well as enhance land stewardship, air and water quality, and quality of life.

For more information about Dove’s Landing, contact Kim Hosen, Prince
William Conservation Alliance, 703.499.4954.