Let’s save River Farm

River Farm, the headquarters of the American Horticultural Society in the Fort Hunt neighborhood of Alexandria, is up for sale. (Adrian Higgins/The Washington Post)

Regarding the March 15 Metro article “Va. fights to preserve historic River Farm”:

When I read of the struggle to save River Farm, I was overcome with a familiar mixture of sorrow and anger. I hope all of us who love the beauty of our historic sites will rise up and fight to save River Farm so that future generations will be able to wander down its paths.

As the former director of Oatlands, a beloved National Historic Landmark in Northern Virginia, I had the daily delight of watching families encounter our lovely landscapes and gardens. From towering trees to butterflies flitting around gorgeous blooms, it was truly a gift.

Virginia’s historic sites are bedrocks of our community. It’s in these spaces that we remember and contemplate the complexities of our nation’s history. And in our hectic present-day world, they are also important landmarks where we can breathe and feel connected to the earth again.

But these historic sites are finite. Once gone, we lose that indelible sense of place and days gone by that comes from the smell of the soil and sharing nature’s overwhelming beauty.

We need more nature in our lives. Let’s save this treasured piece of land.

Andrea McGimsey, Ashburn

The writer is senior director for global warming solutions for

Environment Virginia.

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