More Than 500 Trees May Be Removed from D.C. Golf Course Trump Wants to Redesign
The Trump administration says it still has no final plan to remake East Potomac Golf Links. It does, however, have a plan to remove more than 500 of its trees.
The Trump administration is planning to remove more than 500 trees from the historic East Potomac Golf Links, a public golf course in Washington D.C. The National Park Service (NPS) states that the tree removal is part of an effort to address years of deferred maintenance and restore the course's historic character. The first phase of the project involves removing 169 trees, followed by a second phase with 90 more.
In total, up to 529 trees could potentially be removed. The tree cutting will begin on Saturday at an overgrown area known as "Trash Island," which contains debris and invasive vegetation. The NPS has stated that they will not remove any healthy, historic trees, such as cherry trees. The tree removal is separate from the administration's broader redesign of the golf course, which remains a "potential project" under evaluation.
The government argues that the NPS has the independent authority to manage the property and that the tree work does not commit them to any future design. The tree removal has sparked concerns among park users, who fear the redesign could eliminate Ohio Drive, a popular loop for runners, cyclists, fishermen, and families.
Written by urgent.news from The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
