Make Your Voice Heard  –

Vote in the June 20 Democratic Primary

Our local elected officials are critical decision-makers in addressing climate change and transforming Arlington into a sustainable and resilient community. This year Arlington voters will be selecting two new members to the County Board. The Democratic primary will be held on June 20 (early voting started May 5) and the general election on November 7. To help voters decide, several local environmental groups asked each of the candidates vying for these open seats—six Democrats running in the primary and one independent candidate—to complete a questionnaire offering their position on climate change and sustainable development and hosted an online environmental forum with the candidates.

watch the forum

Weigh in on the Draft Forestry and Natural Resources Plan

The latest draft Forestry and Natural Resources Plan (FNRP) is now available for public comment and we encourage you to provide your feedback to the County Staff. The final plan, for the first time, elevates our urban forests and natural resources as an integral component of the County's Comprehensive Plan that drives County decision making. The plan is broad in scope and overall provides a good roadmap to addressing urgent challenges to our tree canopy and natural resources, including acknowledging the importance of creating “resilience in the face of climate change.” EcoAction Arlington had identified a number of areas for further improvement:

• Tree Canopy Equity is rightly placed within the top ten priorities for implementation, a priority for EcoAction Arlington these last few years, but the Draft Plan does not provide any specifics for funding the effort to address the gaping need to plant 20,000 trees in the equity areas.The Draft Plan fails to mention the extensive contributions that EcoAction Arlington, the Arlington Tree Stewards and the Forestry and Natural Resources Commission have made in running the Tree Canopy Fund and more recently in establishing the Tree Canopy Equity Program. More generally, these volunteer efforts and others should be touted as an important County resource throughout the document to encourage community involvement. 

• We strongly support efforts to "consider" site plan condition amendments that will foster the urban natural landscape, but would prefer a stronger intent to "pursue" amended site plan conditions for large developments that increase native tree and shrub plantings and that do not exacerbate the already harmful heat island effect that afflicts many areas of the County. 



• Deer control should be mentioned throughout the document because this native, but invasive species is depleting our forests of undergrowth and diverse saplings necessary to support a diverse habitat. The Draft Plan is inexplicably nearly silent on the need for deer control. 

To provide your feedback, we encourage you to read the Draft Forestry and Natural Resources Plan and -

• Complete the online feedback here by June 30.
• Attend one of two virtual open houses to meet team members, ask questions, and provide feedback on either Monday June 26, 1-3 pm or Wednesday, June 28, 10 am-12 pm – link is available here.

Control Mosquitoes Now – Without Harming Pollinators

Now is the time to take steps to control mosquitoes in your yard. While it is tempting to use sprays, these insecticides don’t work for long, and they kill pollinators and many other beneficial insects. Insect populations are dropping precipitously worldwide, and we have 3 billion fewer birds in North America than just 50 years ago. Mosquitoes are not just annoying, they can carry disease, but we can control them using better strategies. Best practices for controlling mosquitoes without pesticides include eliminating standing water, wearing long pants and sleeves, applying insect repellent, and using a fan to drive away mosquitoes on your porch or deck.

To learn more about mosquitoes and how to control them without harming pollinators and other beneficial insects, check out these articles written by the Extension Master Gardeners of Arlington and Alexandria:

• Protecting Yourself from Mosquitoes without Harming Pollinators
• Mosquito Control Begins with a Home Walk-Around
• Protecting Yourself from Ticks without Harming Pollinators

The EcoAdvocate is compiled by the EcoAction Arlington Advocacy Committee

EcoAction Arlington | Elenor Hodges, Executive Director | 703-228-6427 | volunteer@ecoactionarlington.org | ecoactionarlington.org

EcoAction Arlington's mission is to educate, advocate, and act to create a sustainable community by improving our natural environment, encouraging environmentally-friendly behaviors, ensuring environmental justice, and addressing the climate crisis. The EcoAction Advocacy Committee engages in public discussion and promotes civic engagement among its members to influence government action to support its mission. EcoAction Arlington is a non-profit and non-partisan organization.