Loudoun County has completed evaluations to potentially allow equestrian uses on the trails at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve. The study conducted by a trails consultant and selective stakeholders yielded suggestions with tiers of access for equestrian uses, ranging from no trails to all possible trails. The Parks and Recreation and Open Space Board (PROS) as well as the Transportation and Land Use Committee of the Board of Supervisors recommended the option that would open all possible trails. Each group went further than the contractor’s suggestions to also ask for a second study to construct new trails. The Board of Supervisors will be making a final decision at their June 17 business meeting.

Loudoun Wildlife acknowledges that there is a need for more equestrian trails, but there is as much need to protect more open spaces for wildlife habitats. Banshee Reeks is the only nature preserve in Loudoun County. Solutions should be sought that satisfy both needs. Environmentally sensitive areas, such as those that make up over 50 percent of Banshee Reeks, should be protected, and studies show that environmentally sensitive areas are especially prone to negative impacts from equestrian use. We encourage our members to support protecting Banshee Reeks by advocating for the protection of natural resources as the first priority.

Photo by Lisa Streckfuss.

In accordance with the Banshee Reeks Master Plan and Addendum, currently the only equestrian trail that is permitted at Banshee Reeks is one along the northern perimeter of the property where there are no environmentally sensitive areas, if and only if an adjacent trail exists outside the property for it to connect to. The recent reopening of Evergreen Mills Hiking and Equestrian Trail included a multi-use trail around the perimeter of the Loudoun County Landfill and adjacent trailhead parking area.  Despite an inability to connect this trail due to unsafe crossing conditions on Evergreen Mills Road, this does satisfy the adjacent trail requirement and triggered the opening of equestrian access along a trail on the northern perimeter of the nature preserve.

Banshee Reeks was created “exclusively for the purpose of conservation and related limited, non-intrusive education uses.” As Loudoun County’s only nature preserve, preservation and conservation of the wildlife and natural areas should be the top priority. Ecologists and wildlife biologists have studied all aspects of natural resources that horses have the potential to negatively impact. At a minimum, these include:

• Soil erosion and compaction
• Horse excrement on trails as impacting water quality and other recreational users’ experience
• Impacts to native plants and sensitive habitats including, but not limited to,  spread of invasive species
• Impacts of equestrians/presence of horses on wildlife and other recreational users

Loudoun County Parks and Recreation has stated that there is conflicting research surrounding the impacts of equestrian uses, a claim which has been discussed at PROS Board meetings on the topic. However, it must be noted that even within the conflicting research, one theme is that equestrian impacts are site specific. Research confirms that impacts are significantly greater in environmentally sensitive areas such as those that comprise the majority of land at Banshee Reeks.

For more information, see the trails assessment document and staff presentation. You can also attend the June 17 meeting to speak on the issue or write your Supervisor.

Please refer to the following resources on the potential impacts of horses in natural areas:

• Letter from Department of Wildlife Resources biologist Jordan Green
• Research Article: Environmental Impacts Associated with Recreational Horse-riding
• Letter from Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy Executive Director Michael Myers to the Parks and Recreation and Open Space Board regarding a meeting held to discuss the opening of the trails to horses on February 8, 2023

In addition to the ecological implications, we continue to have concerns regarding the lack of comprehensive public engagement and public transparency on this issue. Little information on the process was publicly disclosed to the public or interested stakeholders. Additionally, concerns are still present regarding the integrity of and adherence to the results and recommendations of the study to be conducted. We are hopeful that more robust public engagement opportunities will become available as this item moves through the Board of Supervisors.

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