(also known as the Tri-County Parkway, Northern Extension to Rte 234, Outer Beltway)

Prince William County Supervisors are poised to request construction of the Bi-County Parkway at their May 21 meeting with their vote on Item 10-C, which establishes the County's project list for VDOT and NoVA Transportation Authority.

Local decision makers have a chance to back up smart growth rhetoric with action at their May 21 meeting.

Will they direct public investments to areas targeted for growth, east Prince William including the Rte 1 corridor, encouraging economic development?

Or will PWC support a billion dollar road that adds infrastructure to low-density areas, such as the Rural Crescent, encouraging more sprawl development, a primary source of traffic congestion?

• More information
• Share your views with Supervisors
• Watch the Board meeting online

Speaker: Tom Dombrowski, Wetland and Stream Specialist with PWC Watershed Mgt. Dept.

When: Thurs, June 6, 7:30pm

Where: Bull Run Unitarian Universalists, 9350 Main St., Manassas

The shoreline of Prince William County is an important interface between land and water. The type of shoreline can have dramatic effects on habitat, living resources and human experiences.

But along the shoreline of Prince William County many landowners have “hardened” their shorelines with bulkheads, seawalls, and stones in attempts to control shoreline erosion.

However these hardened structures can actually increase the rate of coastal erosion. Alternatives are available that use a natural living shoreline approach that will both control erosion and improve aquatic habitat.

By Harry Glasgow, photo by Julia Flanagan

A dozen or so people sat in a circle in a stark, barren room. I stood up and said, "Hello, my name is Harry, and I'm a birder."  The group chorused back, "Hello, Harry," and thus another meeting of Birders Anonymous begins.  

A look around the group showed a fairly equal number of men and women, youngish and oldish, executives and mechanics, and assorted styles of dress. Just your average group of Northern Virginians.  

But, on closer examination, we discover that this isn't your usual meeting of a "12-step" addiction program. These people aren't trying to quit birding - they're conferring to find the best sites to find Warblers, or Shorebirds, or Raptors.

Birding - or bird watching - is one of the fastest growing American pastimes. In the 20th century most of the birding activity in North America was done on the east coast. The publication of Roger Tory Peterson's field guide in 1934 led to the initial increase in birding. Binoculars became more easily available after World War II, which made this easier.

The practice of traveling long distances to see rare bird species was aided by the rising popularity of cars. About 4% of North Americans were interested in birding In the 1970s and in the mid-1980s at least 11% were found to watch birds at least 20 days of the year. An estimate of 61 million birders was made in the late 1980s.

A great deal of money is spent on this activity by Americans every year. According to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service study, birdwatchers contributed with $36 billion to the US economy 2006, and one fifth (20%) of all Americans are identified as birdwatchers. North American birders were estimated to have spent as much as $32 billion in 2001.

The Prince William Conservation Alliance offers opportunities every month for people to investigate this fascinating leisure interest at the Merrimac Farm Wildlife Management Area in Nokesville. The area is open every day for this and other natural activities as well. Additionally, there are many other opportunities to become a "Bird Bum" in our area. We will be happy to direct you to any of the many sites just in Prince William County alone.  Happy Birding!

When Lake Ridge developments were originally planned, a trail connecting communities with the Occoquan Reservoir was largely not considered.

However, as things turn out, a hiking trail from McCoart Government Center to the Town of Occoquan is not only still possible but was close to becoming a reality.

The majority of the trail runs through land owned by Lake Ridge Parke & Rec Association (LRPRA). The LRPRA held a referendum to assess residents views, which showed strong support for the trail.

Because much of the trail is privately (HOA) owned, support from Prince William County government is needed to allow access to the public.

To date, PWC County has agreed to hold an easement along the trail corridor, removing liability from LRPRA. Supervisors have also approved an $800,000 investment to manage the trails.

Everything was moving in the right direction when, in a Special Meeting held on April 29, the LRPRA Board of Directors passed a motion to cease discussion on leasing common ground to the PWC Park Dept. for the purpose of creating a McCoart to Occoquan Trail.

The Occoquan Trail has been discussed since 2007, when PWCA addressed the LRPRA Board and sponsored trial hikes. You can view the map showing out hike route here and a recap from the first hikes here.

Other groups, including the County's Trail Council and Prince William Trails & Streams, have since offered their support for this trail.

What happens next is far from certain. To learn more and meet trail supporters, the Occoquan Trail will be the main topic at the next Lake Ridge Occoquan Civic Assoc. meeting on Wednesday, June 12, 6:30pm at the Development Services Building.