How sad that the Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital plans to sell off hundreds of acres of forested land in eastern Prince George’s County to the highest bidder. Is that really the best it can do? With accelerating climate change, we urgently need to conserve our remaining forests for carbon sequestration, heat mitigation and absorption of storm water. Sprawling residential development increases greenhouse gas emissions, with bigger houses to heat and cool, bigger lawns to mow, bigger appliances and longer commutes in bigger cars. Despite long-range plans that call for focusing new residential development in already developed areas served by public transit, Prince George’s County’s open space dwindles as farms and forested land are converted into housing developments.
