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Residents press Herndon on W&OD tree clearing and coordination with Nova Parks and Dominion
Summary
Several residents criticized clear‑cutting and replanting practices on the W&OD corridor and urged better coordination among the town, NOVA Parks and Dominion Power; the town said NOVA Parks manages the corridor and pledged to push for clearer plans.
Residents at Herndon’s Feb. 27 town hall pressed officials about recent tree clearing and replanting along the W&OD corridor and raised concerns about trash and dirt‑bike activity on trails.
Nicole Wickenheiser praised a recent town tree‑donation program but said the clear‑cutting by Dominion Power along the Old Dominion/W&OD corridor had been "like crazy out of control" and criticized hasty replanting that could produce crowded, poorly planned stands. She asked the town to press Dominion and NOVA Parks for better planning. "It's not gonna serve anyone well because it wasn't planned well," she said.
Terry Dominiak, a member of Friends of the W&OD Trail, said a new NOVA Parks director has recently come on board and that discussions are ongoing; he urged continued collaboration. Delegate Irene Shen said the issue had been raised in Richmond and that she expects better cooperation from Dominion.
Town staff said the W&OD corridor is managed by NOVA Parks, not the town, but pledged to build relationships and press for improved coordination and clearer restoration plans. Officials asked residents to continue communicating specific concerns so staff can follow up.
