Protecting, Improving Tysons Urban Forest Are Recommended Actions By Task Force

VIENNA, VA — After a task force was created to evaluate how to preserve 65 acres of urban forest in the Tysons area, the task force's final report with recommendations was presented to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Tuesday.

As Tysons continues to develop, Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn started a community task force in July 2023 to develop recommendations for the Tysons Forest. The 65 acres of urban forest are located between Dulles Toll Road and Gosnell Road in the Tysons/Vienna area. The stream valley is owned by public and private entities, including the Fairfax County Park Authority, commercial properties and homeowners.

The 23-person task force met over the winter and was made up of residents, building owners, office tenants, park authority representatives, conservation experts and a representative from Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik's office.

"The report’s many recommendations will require varying levels of action and ongoing coordination by several different public and private entities, and I look forward to seeing continued progress toward preserving and enhancing this urban forest," said Alcorn in a board matter to present the report.

Recommendations from the report include:

• Recognition of the 65 forested acres as Tysons Forest and add wayfinding signage. Issue a pledge of protection for Tysons Forest in the Tysons Comprehensive Plan.
• Replenish the tree canopy with 1,000 trees by 2028. Plant dozens of evergreen seedlings on the edges of the forest as a buffer. Work to reduce invasive plant coverage by 50 percent or more by 2028. Do baseline counts for butterflies, birds, bees and frogs to measure biodiversity.
• Revive an Old Woodland Trail.
• Expand the forest's footprint. Expand the park authority land with acquisitions through proffers. Develop proffer options for developers for contributions to Tysons forest. Encourage property owners to follow recommended ecological practices and seek a wildlife habitat certification for their property through the Audubon Society or the National Wildlife Federation.
• Maintain a safe and clean forest. Continue semi-annual trash cleanups. Get the county's Operation Stream Sheild to help with forest projects. Get forest-adjacent businesses to add dumpster lids to control wind-blown trash and require construction sites to mitigate runoff of mud, silt and chemicals. Install trash cans on walking trails.
• Create green champions with future generations. Get elementary, high school and youth organizations to help with forest caretaking. Recruit college students for website building and marketing analysis.
• Teamwork, structure, funding and communications: Develop a communications plan for the task force's recommendations. Build a website and event calendar for Tysons Forest. Identify sources of funding. Set up a Friends of Tysons Forest type group in the long term. Identify and map easements in or near to Tysons Forest and work with easement owners on plans to use the easement which could affect Tysons Forest wildlife and plants.

Alcorn said in the board matter presented Tuesday that task force members started implementing some recommendations. That includes working on installation of a wildlife learning trail along a commercial property and planning to restore one acre of park authority property with native plantings.

"This is a great example of what can be accomplished when community members in Fairfax County come together for a common purpose," Alcorn shared in the board matter.

The report comes as Alcorn, Palchik, Celebrate Fairfax, and the Tysons Community Alliance will host an Earth Day nature walk and litter clean up in Tysons Forest. It will start at the PARC in Tysons (8508 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, VA) at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 1:30 p.m. on April 22.