Vision, Initiative, and Dedication

In 1965, intense development threatened this unspoiled, historic, and scenic area along the Potomac, a nesting place of the American Bald Eagle and home to a variety of other birds and wildlife. Citizens responded by forming the Conservation Committee for Mason Neck, which operated from 1965 to 1970 and spearheaded a vigorous and successful preservation campaign with the help of federal, state, and county authorities. Its success showed the importance of dedicated citizen action in achieving environmental goals and set a model for similar efforts by ordinary citizens around the nation.

Mason Neck, Virginia · United States