Scott's Run Nature Preserve is a

nature preserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geolog ...

Fairfax County, Virginia Fairfax County, officially the County of Fairfax, is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. With a population of 1,150,309 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the most p ...

, United States. Located in McLean, it is bordered by

Virginia State Route 193 State Route 193 (SR 193) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known as Georgetown Pike, the state highway runs from SR 7 in Dranesville east to SR 123 in Langley. SR 193 passes through Great Falls and meets Interst ...

to its south, Interstate 495 to its east and the

Potomac River The Potomac River () is in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and flows from the Potomac Highlands in West Virginia to Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography D ...

to its north. It encompasses of woodland with its namesake, Scott's Run, flowing through its west side. Scott's Run originates in nearby

Tysons Corner Tysons, also known as Tysons Corner, is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, spanning from the corner of SR 123 (Chain Bridge Road) and SR 7 (Leesburg Pike). It is part of the Washington metropolitan are ...

and enters the Potomac on the northwest side of the preserve. The preserve is noted for including

eastern hemlock ''Tsuga canadensis'', also known as eastern hemlock, eastern hemlock-spruce, or Canadian hemlock, and in the French-speaking regions of Canada as ''pruche du Canada'', is a coniferous tree native to eastern North America. It is the state tree of ...

s among its plant life, which are rare for the area. It is a popular destination for recreation and hiking and is operated by the

Fairfax County Park Authority The Fairfax County Park Authority is the department of the Fairfax County, Virginia government responsible for developing and maintaining the various parks, historical sites, and recreational areas owned or administered by Fairfax County. Figures pu ...

History

Before the property was owned by Fairfax County, it belonged Edward B. Burling, a co-founder of the

Covington & Burling Covington & Burling LLP is an American multinational law firm. Known as a white-shoe law firm, it is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and advises clients on transactional, litigation, regulatory, and public policy matters. The firm has addition ...

law firm. During the 1920s Burling purchased the land for $200 an acre and built a cabin on the north side. He used the property for relaxation and informal business meetings. After Burling's death in October 1966, his descendants sold the property to Miller & Smith Associates (MSA) to avoid its tax burdens. MSA planned to build 309 luxury homes on what was known as the "Burling Tract". Plans also included leaving 52 percent of the land relatively untouched. When Elizabeth Miles Cooke, who lived next to the tract, noticed it was slated for development, she help organize an opposition. After a lengthy debate between citizens, the Virginia Governor, several U.S. senators, developers, and local organizations, voters opted to raise their taxes in a referendum on July 14, 1970. The measure would secure $1.5 million in order to help purchase the land. An additional $1.5 million in funding was provided by the

Department of the Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal lands and natural resources. It also administers programs relatin ...

and $0.6 million from state and local governments. On September 5, 1970 the tract was officially purchased by Fairfax County for $3.6 million.

References

External links

Scott's Run Nature Preserve Trails
- Fairfax County *{{commonscat-inline McLean, Virginia Protected areas of Fairfax County, Virginia Protected areas established in 1970 1970 establishments in Virginia Parks in Fairfax County, Virginia