W&OD Trail Maintenance to Last Up to 10 Weeks

Photo credit: W&OD Trail Facebook page

RESTON, VA: Dominion Virginia Power will be working on the Washington and Old Dominion Trail (W&OD Trail) from the Reston area east for approximately 8-10 miles during the next 7-10 weeks, as part of routine transmission line right of way maintenance, according to the Northern Virginia Regional Parks Authority (NVRPA). This maintenance will involve the pruning or removal of trees that pose a threat to the overhead transmission lines and the cutting of invasive vines.

Work will be done within the guidelines of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between NOVA Parks and Dominion Virginia Power that was put into place in 2005. The MOU which Dominion Virginia Power and NOVA Parks voluntarily adopted will allow for both the preservation of the recreational and natural resources of the park and the safe and reliable operation of Dominion’s transmission lines.

Invasive species are a common problem along rail lines in the United States.

While the cut areas may appear temporarily unattractive, removing these invasive species now is an important step in giving native plants a better chance to grow back in the spring, providing lasting benefits to the W&OD Trail property, according to the NVRPA.