More than 500 trees have been cut down at East Potomac Golf Course in Washington DC, prompting a federal judge to order an immediate halt to further removals amid a legal challenge to President Donald Trump’s proposed redevelopment of the historic site.
Crews began work on Saturday, 10 October, after the National Park Service notified the court late on Friday that tree clearance was due to begin. Preservationists said the operation had moved faster than expected and that the original list of 529 trees had been exhausted in a single day.
The DC Preservation League and two regular golfers have asked the court for a 14-day restraining order, arguing that more trees could be removed as soon as weather conditions allow. They also want the administration to provide at least three days’ written notice before carrying out any further irreversible work.
Judge Ana Reyes ordered all tree removal to stop until 7am on Tuesday, or until she issues a further ruling. She said the plaintiffs were likely to suffer immediate and irreparable harm without temporary protection, noting that the removal of hundreds of trees was permanent.
Images from the course showed freshly cut stumps and bare trunks, while other trees marked with yellow tape remained under consideration for removal. The preservation groups allege that healthy, mature oaks and maples were among those felled.
The National Park Service has said the project is a separate tree-management and cultural-landscape restoration scheme, rather than the implementation of a final golf-course redesign. It said the work would remove vegetation that did not contribute to the historic landscape, restore the course’s open links-style character and reopen views towards landmarks including the Washington Monument and the Potomac River.
The agency said in court papers that no healthy trees considered contributing features of the historic golf course, including historic cherry trees, would be removed. It has also maintained that the course will remain open to the public, although individual holes may close temporarily while work is under way.
The dispute is linked to Mr Trump’s plans to turn the century-old public course into a championship-level venue. The president has promoted the idea of a “world-class” course capable of hosting major tournaments, with prominent golf architect Tom Fazio involved in the proposed transformation.
The challengers argue that the redevelopment would breach an 1897 law establishing East Potomac Park for the recreation and enjoyment of Washington’s people. They also say the administration has improperly treated the tree clearance as routine maintenance instead of assessing its wider environmental and historic-preservation consequences.
The National Park Service’s formal project documents say up to 529 trees are covered by the restoration plan. They describe the removals as part of a long-term effort to return East Potomac Golf Course to a more open, mostly treeless links landscape, while preserving historically significant vegetation and views.
