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East Potomac Park Golf Course - Tree Management and Cultural Landscape Rehabilitation
National Mall and Memorial Parks » East Potomac Park Golf Course - Tree Management and Cultural Landscape Rehabilitation
The National Park Service (NPS) proposes to implement a tree management and cultural landscape rehabilitation project at the East Potomac Park Golf Course in Washington, DC. The project would implement vegetation treatment recommendations contained in the 2019 'Cultural Landscape Report: National Park Service Golf Courses in the District of Columbia - East Potomac Park, Langston, and Rock Creek: Treatment Guidelines' (CLR) through selective tree and woody vegetation removal; preservation and management of historic and character-defining vegetation and compatible specimen trees; restoration and maintenance of significant views and the historically open spatial character of the golf course; control of invasive and volunteer vegetation; and targeted replacement and new planting where necessary to perpetuate historic vegetation patterns or screen contemporary administrative and operational uses. The project is limited to restoration activities at the East Potomac Park Golf Course.
As explained in the CLR, East Potomac Golf Course designer Walter J. Travis 'opted to design a traditional links-style course rather than a parkland-style course,' showcasing a style that favored 'a rough, grassy area of land along the coastline that includes sand dunes and few, if any, trees.' CLR at 11. The CLR notes, however, that 'after Traviss initial planning effort, successive decades have led to the introduction of additional trees to the course, which have altered the feeling of the course, moving the character of the links-style courses closer to parkland-style courses,' and that the 'encroachment of vegetation has altered strategy and obscured intended views within the course.' CLR at 93. The CLR further observes that '[l]inks-style courses typically have very few trees and shrubs,' because '[t]oo many trees would interfere with the characteristic views and ever-present wind,' and that at East Potomac 'there were some trees originally, but overwhelmingly the property was treeless allowing for views across the golf course and to the surrounding water.' CLR at 94. The CLR attributes the change in this character to the fact that '[m]any trees have grown up within the course due to lack of maintenance, creation of dumping areas, and aggressive planting without regard to the history or function of the golf course,' and it concludes that '[t]rees and understory will have to be managed in order for [East Potomac Park Golf Course] to return to its links character.' CLR at 94. Accordingly, the CLR recommends that the NPS '[r]estore the links style and historic vegetation (rough grasslands, thin trees between fairways, and sentinel deciduous trees),' and 'minimiz[e] trees growing between the fairways.' CLR at 196.
The Treatment chapter of the CLR is explicit that restoring this character requires removing trees. In its site-specific guidelines for East Potomac, the CLR explains that '[t]he East Potomac Park Golf Course originally consisted of open, mostly treeless, fairways with the majority of trees relegated to the edges of the various courses,' but that '[s]uccessive decades of unchecked plantings by the NPS and concessionaire, changed the character of the links-style courses closer to that of a parkland-style course.' CLR at 196. The CLR therefore directs the NPS to '[r]emove invasive vegetation growing unchecked along the fence line and the planted non-contributing vegetation that occurred piecemeal without a cohesive design around the fieldhouse and along the property's fairways.' CLR at 196. With respect to the championship Blue Course, which the CLR found 'includes more trees than were originally intended,' the CLR states that '[n]on-contributing vegetation planted along the fairways should be removed to open views and reinforce the links-style character.' CLR at 189. The CLR similarly recommends that views from the White Course 'be enhanced by removing non-contributing vegetation planted along the fairways to open up these views and reinforce the links-style character.' CLR at 190. The CLR's general recommendations, which apply to all three NPS golf courses in the District of Columbia, including East Potomac, likewise direct the NPS to '[r]emove encroaching vegetation that adversely affects design intent,' CLR at 173, and to '[r]emove non-contributing, non-native, and invasive vegetation where it compromises the historic character of the golf course, where it may affect the playability of the golf course, change the historic spatial qualities, impact important views, or introduce varieties of vegetation that change the historic planting character.' CLR at 177. The CLR further provides that '[e]ncroaching vegetation that compromises the design intent of the views and playability of the golf course should be removed.' CLR at 179.
NPS's other cultural landscape documentation reaches the same conclusions. The 2017 'Cultural Landscapes Inventory: East Potomac Golf Course' (Golf Course CLI) explains that '[t]he vegetation pattern of Travis' design was generally treeless—a characteristic feature of links-style courses—with cleared fairways and grassy turf.' Golf Course CLI at 48. It further states that '[w]ide open vistas of grass and views toward the water, were the desired effect at East Potomac.' Golf Course CLI at 132-133. Consistent with that design intent, the Golf Course CLI identifies 'a wide open, treeless landscape' as character-defining vegetation at East Potomac. Golf Course CLI at 135. The Golf Course CLI also documents how that character was lost, explaining that images of Augusta National 'resulted in the planting of thousands of trees and flowering shrubs, on courses throughout the country including on links-style courses such as East Potomac, where they were never intended.' Golf Course CLI at 133. It concludes that '[m]aturation of vegetation and additional planting since the period of significance, has resulted in the loss of view sheds and changed the feeling of playing the course, designed in the relatively treeless links style,' and that '[t]hese developments are reversible.' Golf Course CLI at 75. Similarly, the 2023 'Cultural Landscapes Inventory: East Potomac Park' (Park CLI) explains that Travis's design, 'inspired by links-style courses in Scotland, preferred a mostly treeless landscape, which permitted open views to the Potomac River and Washington Channel beyond.' Park CLI at 141.
As an intermediate step, the CLR recommends that the NPS '[d]evelop a Vegetation Management Plan for the [East Potomac Golf Course] to establish removals, thinning, replacement and new plantings based on the management objective to preserve the links-style landscape.' CLR at 196. The NPS developed a Tree Management Plan that provides an implementation framework for this work. The plan expressly translates the CLR treatment recommendations into criteria and actions for tree preservation and removal. Consistent with the CLR, the plan is intended to restore the open links-style golf landscape while concentrating denser vegetation along the perimeter of the course and around contemporary administrative and operational uses while restoring significant views.
Specifically, the plan seeks to restore open fairways, maintain significant views and vistas, protect historic vegetation, and address invasive, hazardous, unmanaged, and non-contributing trees and woody growth. Accordingly, this effort consists of selective vegetation removal, associated stump and root removal, and stabilization of disturbed areas. These treatments are intended to improve the condition of the cultural landscape while supporting its continued use as a public golf course.
Site Description
The East Potomac Park Golf Course is an established, developed recreational landscape located between the Potomac River and Washington Channel. The golf course is a contributing site within the National Register-listed East and West Potomac Parks Historic District. Its significant landscape characteristics include land use, topography, spatial organization, circulation, vegetation patterns, buildings and structures, and views and vistas. The course was originally conceived as a links-style landscape characterized by predominantly open fairways, long sightlines, rough grasslands, and relatively limited interior tree cover. The Tree Management Plan notes that subsequent tree planting and unmanaged woody growth have contributed to a more enclosed, parkland character in portions of the course, affecting historic views, golf strategy, turf conditions, and the historic spatial character of the landscape. The CLR likewise found that, at East Potomac, '[t]he encroaching vegetation has altered strategy, impacted turf health, and obscured intended views within the course.' CLR at 196. It notes, for example, that cedars defining a green are 'not in keeping with the original intention of Travis.' CLR at 197. The CLR also attributes turf problems on the course in part to 'tree root competition' and 'shade from trees.' CLR at 198.
The proposed project would selectively remove trees and woody vegetation that have been determined to be non-contributing to the historic landscape or incompatible with the historic links-style character. Removal would focus on trees and vegetation that enclose historically open fairways and greens, obscure significant views and vistas, adversely affect turf or golf-course function, or otherwise conflict with the historic landscape treatment objectives. Invasive vines, volunteer trees, brush, and unmanaged understory vegetation would also be removed where appropriate. Mature specimen trees that function as compatible isolated landscape features and do not compromise historic views or golf-course function would be retained.
Based on the current tree inventory, the proposed action includes removal of approximately 382 trees measuring greater than 10 inches diameter at breast height (DBH), plus an additional 147 trees of a smaller size. Of these, approximately 247 trees have DBHs between 10.1 and 20 inches, with an average DBH of 14.38 inches; 93 trees have DBHs between 20.1 and 30 inches, with an average DBH of 24.72 inches; and 42 trees have DBHs greater than 30 inches, with an average DBH of 46.32 inches. Approximately 147 trees are less than 10 inches and an average DBH of 6.71 inches. Total number of trees to be removed is 529. These trees would be evaluated and treated consistently with the Tree Management Plan and the historic landscape objectives established by the CLR. The project includes excavation or pulling stumps or root balls or stump grinding along with substantial root removal.
Tree-removal activities covered by this compliance review would generally consist of cutting identified trees at or near existing grade using conventional arboricultural equipment and methods. Equipment access would use existing roads, golf-course circulation routes, turf areas, and previously disturbed portions of the developed landscape to the extent practicable. Ground protection matting along equipment access routes and within work areas will be used where needed to minimize soil disturbance and damage to existing turf. Work would be performed in a manner that avoids unnecessary soil disturbance and protects historic landscape features.
The project would specifically protect vegetation identified as historic or character-defining. This includes the historic cherry plantings associated with the White Course, the Ohio Drive cherry plantings, the Ohio buckeye allée along Buckeye Drive, and compatible mature specimen trees.
Tree removal would also be used to restore and maintain significant historic views and vistas. Vegetation management would prioritize views toward the Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, U.S. Capitol, National War College, Potomac River, Washington Channel, Virginia shoreline, and historic fieldhouse wings. Selective removal would be used to reopen or maintain these visual relationships. The CLR's site-specific guidelines for East Potomac explain that '[t]ree plantings around the greens in the 1960s and 1970s hemmed in the views and restricted the vistas along the fairways,' and they direct the NPS to '[r]einforce the visual connections to the city and river by selectively removing vegetation to open views to the iconic buildings of Washington, D.C., and to the Potomac River and Washington Channel.' CLR at 205. The CLR adds that 'Travis capitalized on the geography, relatively flat topography, and generally treeless areas to offer general views and vistas to the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, the U.S. Capitol building, National War College, and other landmarks of the city as well as the surrounding Potomac River and Washington Channel.' CLR at 205-206. Along the course perimeter, the CLR found that 'screen plantings and encroaching invasive vegetation filled in along the edge blocking the views to the surrounding East Potomac Park, Potomac River, and Washington Channel on three sides of the golf course.' CLR at 187. These open views are integral to the historic design of the golf course. According to the Park CLI, '[t]he earliest plans for the East Potomac Park Golf Course offered exceptional views of surrounding landmarks, including the Washington Monument, the US Capitol Building, and the waterfront opposite the Washington Channel,' and '[t]hese views were enhanced through a combination of selective siting of vegetation and through the controlled design of topographic features, which were kept low to avoid impeding views.' Park CLI at 220. The Golf Course CLI notes, however, that '[i]n some areas of the cultural landscape, the maturation of trees throughout and outside the course have partially or fully obstructed these views.' Golf Course CLI at 140.
Following tree removal, affected areas would be stabilized and maintained as turf, rough grassland, or other compatible low-growing vegetation where appropriate to reinforce the historically open character of the links-style golf course. In locations identified for historic replacement planting or screening, trees and other vegetation would be installed in accordance with the Tree Management Plan. The plan establishes treatment classifications of Preserve, Preserve + Manage, Remove, Relocate, Replace in Kind/Historic Pattern, New Screen Planting, and No Woody Planting to ensure that vegetation treatment is responsive to the historic character and function of individual portions of the landscape.
The project would not change the existing use of East Potomac Park Golf Course, alter the fundamental configuration or function of the golf course, construct new buildings, expand the developed footprint of the golf course, or authorize substantial new ground disturbance. Rather, the project constitutes vegetation and landscape management within an existing developed recreational and historic cultural landscape. The work is intended to improve the condition and integrity of the historic landscape by restoring the open links-style character, protecting character-defining vegetation, reopening historically significant views and controlling incompatible and invasive vegetation.
The NPS completed an inventory and evaluation of existing trees and vegetation to establish baseline conditions and identify invasive vegetation, hazardous or declining trees, historic and character-defining vegetation, compatible specimen trees, and non-contributing vegetation potentially inconsistent with the historic links-style landscape. This work provides the information necessary to prioritize subsequent vegetation-management treatments and to distinguish vegetation appropriate for preservation from vegetation that may be considered for removal, thinning, relocation, or replacement.
Maps of trees to be removed and specimen trees attached to compliance, along with photos of specimen trees.
As explained in the CLR, East Potomac Golf Course designer Walter J. Travis 'opted to design a traditional links-style course rather than a parkland-style course,' showcasing a style that favored 'a rough, grassy area of land along the coastline that includes sand dunes and few, if any, trees.' CLR at 11. The CLR notes, however, that 'after Traviss initial planning effort, successive decades have led to the introduction of additional trees to the course, which have altered the feeling of the course, moving the character of the links-style courses closer to parkland-style courses,' and that the 'encroachment of vegetation has altered strategy and obscured intended views within the course.' CLR at 93. The CLR further observes that '[l]inks-style courses typically have very few trees and shrubs,' because '[t]oo many trees would interfere with the characteristic views and ever-present wind,' and that at East Potomac 'there were some trees originally, but overwhelmingly the property was treeless allowing for views across the golf course and to the surrounding water.' CLR at 94. The CLR attributes the change in this character to the fact that '[m]any trees have grown up within the course due to lack of maintenance, creation of dumping areas, and aggressive planting without regard to the history or function of the golf course,' and it concludes that '[t]rees and understory will have to be managed in order for [East Potomac Park Golf Course] to return to its links character.' CLR at 94. Accordingly, the CLR recommends that the NPS '[r]estore the links style and historic vegetation (rough grasslands, thin trees between fairways, and sentinel deciduous trees),' and 'minimiz[e] trees growing between the fairways.' CLR at 196.
The Treatment chapter of the CLR is explicit that restoring this character requires removing trees. In its site-specific guidelines for East Potomac, the CLR explains that '[t]he East Potomac Park Golf Course originally consisted of open, mostly treeless, fairways with the majority of trees relegated to the edges of the various courses,' but that '[s]uccessive decades of unchecked plantings by the NPS and concessionaire, changed the character of the links-style courses closer to that of a parkland-style course.' CLR at 196. The CLR therefore directs the NPS to '[r]emove invasive vegetation growing unchecked along the fence line and the planted non-contributing vegetation that occurred piecemeal without a cohesive design around the fieldhouse and along the property's fairways.' CLR at 196. With respect to the championship Blue Course, which the CLR found 'includes more trees than were originally intended,' the CLR states that '[n]on-contributing vegetation planted along the fairways should be removed to open views and reinforce the links-style character.' CLR at 189. The CLR similarly recommends that views from the White Course 'be enhanced by removing non-contributing vegetation planted along the fairways to open up these views and reinforce the links-style character.' CLR at 190. The CLR's general recommendations, which apply to all three NPS golf courses in the District of Columbia, including East Potomac, likewise direct the NPS to '[r]emove encroaching vegetation that adversely affects design intent,' CLR at 173, and to '[r]emove non-contributing, non-native, and invasive vegetation where it compromises the historic character of the golf course, where it may affect the playability of the golf course, change the historic spatial qualities, impact important views, or introduce varieties of vegetation that change the historic planting character.' CLR at 177. The CLR further provides that '[e]ncroaching vegetation that compromises the design intent of the views and playability of the golf course should be removed.' CLR at 179.
NPS's other cultural landscape documentation reaches the same conclusions. The 2017 'Cultural Landscapes Inventory: East Potomac Golf Course' (Golf Course CLI) explains that '[t]he vegetation pattern of Travis' design was generally treeless—a characteristic feature of links-style courses—with cleared fairways and grassy turf.' Golf Course CLI at 48. It further states that '[w]ide open vistas of grass and views toward the water, were the desired effect at East Potomac.' Golf Course CLI at 132-133. Consistent with that design intent, the Golf Course CLI identifies 'a wide open, treeless landscape' as character-defining vegetation at East Potomac. Golf Course CLI at 135. The Golf Course CLI also documents how that character was lost, explaining that images of Augusta National 'resulted in the planting of thousands of trees and flowering shrubs, on courses throughout the country including on links-style courses such as East Potomac, where they were never intended.' Golf Course CLI at 133. It concludes that '[m]aturation of vegetation and additional planting since the period of significance, has resulted in the loss of view sheds and changed the feeling of playing the course, designed in the relatively treeless links style,' and that '[t]hese developments are reversible.' Golf Course CLI at 75. Similarly, the 2023 'Cultural Landscapes Inventory: East Potomac Park' (Park CLI) explains that Travis's design, 'inspired by links-style courses in Scotland, preferred a mostly treeless landscape, which permitted open views to the Potomac River and Washington Channel beyond.' Park CLI at 141.
As an intermediate step, the CLR recommends that the NPS '[d]evelop a Vegetation Management Plan for the [East Potomac Golf Course] to establish removals, thinning, replacement and new plantings based on the management objective to preserve the links-style landscape.' CLR at 196. The NPS developed a Tree Management Plan that provides an implementation framework for this work. The plan expressly translates the CLR treatment recommendations into criteria and actions for tree preservation and removal. Consistent with the CLR, the plan is intended to restore the open links-style golf landscape while concentrating denser vegetation along the perimeter of the course and around contemporary administrative and operational uses while restoring significant views.
Specifically, the plan seeks to restore open fairways, maintain significant views and vistas, protect historic vegetation, and address invasive, hazardous, unmanaged, and non-contributing trees and woody growth. Accordingly, this effort consists of selective vegetation removal, associated stump and root removal, and stabilization of disturbed areas. These treatments are intended to improve the condition of the cultural landscape while supporting its continued use as a public golf course.
Site Description
The East Potomac Park Golf Course is an established, developed recreational landscape located between the Potomac River and Washington Channel. The golf course is a contributing site within the National Register-listed East and West Potomac Parks Historic District. Its significant landscape characteristics include land use, topography, spatial organization, circulation, vegetation patterns, buildings and structures, and views and vistas. The course was originally conceived as a links-style landscape characterized by predominantly open fairways, long sightlines, rough grasslands, and relatively limited interior tree cover. The Tree Management Plan notes that subsequent tree planting and unmanaged woody growth have contributed to a more enclosed, parkland character in portions of the course, affecting historic views, golf strategy, turf conditions, and the historic spatial character of the landscape. The CLR likewise found that, at East Potomac, '[t]he encroaching vegetation has altered strategy, impacted turf health, and obscured intended views within the course.' CLR at 196. It notes, for example, that cedars defining a green are 'not in keeping with the original intention of Travis.' CLR at 197. The CLR also attributes turf problems on the course in part to 'tree root competition' and 'shade from trees.' CLR at 198.
The proposed project would selectively remove trees and woody vegetation that have been determined to be non-contributing to the historic landscape or incompatible with the historic links-style character. Removal would focus on trees and vegetation that enclose historically open fairways and greens, obscure significant views and vistas, adversely affect turf or golf-course function, or otherwise conflict with the historic landscape treatment objectives. Invasive vines, volunteer trees, brush, and unmanaged understory vegetation would also be removed where appropriate. Mature specimen trees that function as compatible isolated landscape features and do not compromise historic views or golf-course function would be retained.
Based on the current tree inventory, the proposed action includes removal of approximately 382 trees measuring greater than 10 inches diameter at breast height (DBH), plus an additional 147 trees of a smaller size. Of these, approximately 247 trees have DBHs between 10.1 and 20 inches, with an average DBH of 14.38 inches; 93 trees have DBHs between 20.1 and 30 inches, with an average DBH of 24.72 inches; and 42 trees have DBHs greater than 30 inches, with an average DBH of 46.32 inches. Approximately 147 trees are less than 10 inches and an average DBH of 6.71 inches. Total number of trees to be removed is 529. These trees would be evaluated and treated consistently with the Tree Management Plan and the historic landscape objectives established by the CLR. The project includes excavation or pulling stumps or root balls or stump grinding along with substantial root removal.
Tree-removal activities covered by this compliance review would generally consist of cutting identified trees at or near existing grade using conventional arboricultural equipment and methods. Equipment access would use existing roads, golf-course circulation routes, turf areas, and previously disturbed portions of the developed landscape to the extent practicable. Ground protection matting along equipment access routes and within work areas will be used where needed to minimize soil disturbance and damage to existing turf. Work would be performed in a manner that avoids unnecessary soil disturbance and protects historic landscape features.
The project would specifically protect vegetation identified as historic or character-defining. This includes the historic cherry plantings associated with the White Course, the Ohio Drive cherry plantings, the Ohio buckeye allée along Buckeye Drive, and compatible mature specimen trees.
Tree removal would also be used to restore and maintain significant historic views and vistas. Vegetation management would prioritize views toward the Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, U.S. Capitol, National War College, Potomac River, Washington Channel, Virginia shoreline, and historic fieldhouse wings. Selective removal would be used to reopen or maintain these visual relationships. The CLR's site-specific guidelines for East Potomac explain that '[t]ree plantings around the greens in the 1960s and 1970s hemmed in the views and restricted the vistas along the fairways,' and they direct the NPS to '[r]einforce the visual connections to the city and river by selectively removing vegetation to open views to the iconic buildings of Washington, D.C., and to the Potomac River and Washington Channel.' CLR at 205. The CLR adds that 'Travis capitalized on the geography, relatively flat topography, and generally treeless areas to offer general views and vistas to the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, the U.S. Capitol building, National War College, and other landmarks of the city as well as the surrounding Potomac River and Washington Channel.' CLR at 205-206. Along the course perimeter, the CLR found that 'screen plantings and encroaching invasive vegetation filled in along the edge blocking the views to the surrounding East Potomac Park, Potomac River, and Washington Channel on three sides of the golf course.' CLR at 187. These open views are integral to the historic design of the golf course. According to the Park CLI, '[t]he earliest plans for the East Potomac Park Golf Course offered exceptional views of surrounding landmarks, including the Washington Monument, the US Capitol Building, and the waterfront opposite the Washington Channel,' and '[t]hese views were enhanced through a combination of selective siting of vegetation and through the controlled design of topographic features, which were kept low to avoid impeding views.' Park CLI at 220. The Golf Course CLI notes, however, that '[i]n some areas of the cultural landscape, the maturation of trees throughout and outside the course have partially or fully obstructed these views.' Golf Course CLI at 140.
Following tree removal, affected areas would be stabilized and maintained as turf, rough grassland, or other compatible low-growing vegetation where appropriate to reinforce the historically open character of the links-style golf course. In locations identified for historic replacement planting or screening, trees and other vegetation would be installed in accordance with the Tree Management Plan. The plan establishes treatment classifications of Preserve, Preserve + Manage, Remove, Relocate, Replace in Kind/Historic Pattern, New Screen Planting, and No Woody Planting to ensure that vegetation treatment is responsive to the historic character and function of individual portions of the landscape.
The project would not change the existing use of East Potomac Park Golf Course, alter the fundamental configuration or function of the golf course, construct new buildings, expand the developed footprint of the golf course, or authorize substantial new ground disturbance. Rather, the project constitutes vegetation and landscape management within an existing developed recreational and historic cultural landscape. The work is intended to improve the condition and integrity of the historic landscape by restoring the open links-style character, protecting character-defining vegetation, reopening historically significant views and controlling incompatible and invasive vegetation.
The NPS completed an inventory and evaluation of existing trees and vegetation to establish baseline conditions and identify invasive vegetation, hazardous or declining trees, historic and character-defining vegetation, compatible specimen trees, and non-contributing vegetation potentially inconsistent with the historic links-style landscape. This work provides the information necessary to prioritize subsequent vegetation-management treatments and to distinguish vegetation appropriate for preservation from vegetation that may be considered for removal, thinning, relocation, or replacement.
Maps of trees to be removed and specimen trees attached to compliance, along with photos of specimen trees.