NOVA Parks News
THROWBACK THURSDAY--NOVA PARKS—DYNAMIC DUO OF CONSERVATION
Elizabeth Hartwell and Jean R. Packard were two of the greatest conservationists of the Northern Virginia region. They were drawn to NOVA Parks (Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority) because of our conservation mission. Hartwell and Packard were remarkable individuals who helped shape Northern Virginia.
Elizabeth Hartwell led the effort to preserve Mason Neck in Southern Fairfax County. In the early 1960s a developer prepared to build a planned community and airport at Mason Neck. Elizabeth Hartwell recognized the need to preserve this pristine land and protect the endangered bald eagle population which called Mason Neck home. As a result of Hartwell’s relentless hard work the Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1969. On August 6, 2006, Congress approved a name change for the refuge to the Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge in her honor.
NOVA Parks was the first public parks agency to create parkland in the Mason Neck area. In the 1960’s NOVA Parks purchased 800 acres of land at the tip of the Mason Neck peninsula. This land was a nesting area for the Great Blue Heron. NOVA Parks leased this land to the US Fish & Wildlife Service who then created the Wildlife Refuge on Mason Neck. NOVA Parks also purchased 1,000 acres in this area to create Pohick Bay Regional Park.Today there is over 4,000 acres of preserved land on Mason Neck.
In 1972 Jean R. Packard was the first woman to become the Chairwoman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. During her term Packard started the process of downzoning the area surrounding the Occoquan Watershed. She focused on downzoning to decrease pollution to the main source of Fairfax County’s water. Jean R. Packard went on to serve 24 years on the NOVA Parks Board and to provide leadership to numerous environmental non-profit organizations.
Both Packard and Hartwell were lifelong champions of nature and conservation. Hartwell served on the NOVA Parks Board from 1972-1983. Packard served on the NOVA Parks Board from 1988-1993, and then again from 1995-2014.
