Board of Supervisors dissolves the Tree Commission
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution on Aug. 25 on a 9-1 vote dissolving the Tree Commission and the Environmental Quality Advisory Council (EQAC) and transferring their functions to a new Environmental Commission.
That effort – which would save the county $20,000 and 600 hours of staff time – is part of a comprehensive review of all of the county’s boards and commissions.
At the public hearing before the vote, several people urged the board to retain the Tree Commission as a separate entity.
“The Tree Commission offers professional expertise on urban forestry, tree preservation, and the Tree Conservation Ordinance,” said Lynne Mulston, president of the Reston Citizens Association. “Trees will lose focused advocacy at precisely the wrong time. Across Fairfax County, residents are watching mature trees disappear as infill development and redevelopment accelerate.”
“Under the proposed Environmental Commission, trees would become one issue among many,” Mulston said. As a result, environmental oversight and public engagement will be weakened.
Tree Commission Chair Barbara Ryan said elimination of that entity is “likely to significantly reduce the county’s focus on the tree canopy.” That’s especially important now, as the county’s goal is to increase the tree canopy to cover 60 percent of the county by 2030.
Ryan urged the new Environmental Commission to include at least one agenda item at each meeting related to trees and to have at least three members with tree expertise.
Whitney Redding of the Friends of Holmes Run raised concerns about shrinking the number of volunteers with experience and technical expertise on tree preservation.
Related story: Tree Commission gets the axe
Board of Supervisors Chair Jeffrey McKay called the merger of the environmental advisory bodies “a structural change that doesn’t diminish the board’s commitment to the county’s environmental goals.”
“To suggest that we’re stepping away from environmental protection is disappointing,” McKay asserted. “This is not streamlining. This is putting trees at the center of our environmental agenda.”
Dranesville Supervisor Jimmy Bierman said the new Environmental Commission could carry out all the functions of the Tree Commission. “This still protects the mission.”
Mason Supervisor Andres Jimenez said focusing on experts “closes the door on diversity and closes the door on youth.”
“When we have experts, young people aren’t going to participate,” he said. “If we are specifically only looking at experts to fill these appointments, we’re going to miss out on a lot of wonderful talent and passion.”
“Expertise is everything,” countered Hunter Mill Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who cast the lone vote against the motion. “The value is in the expertise.”
“Eliminating the Tree Commission de-prioritizes trees,” Alcorn said. “This feels like the ascension of staff over pesky citizens. I don’t think that’s the intention, but it feels that way.”
The BoS also approved the bylaws for the new Environmental Commission. The bylaws call for two of the 15 members to have expertise and experience with trees and natural resources. The number of student members will be increased from one to two.