Belvoir's Accotink Bay highlighted in Virginia Wildlife magazine

Fort Belvoir's Accotink Bay Wildlife Refuge was recently highlighted in Virginia Wildlife Magazine by Glenda Booth, a freelance writer who specializes in environmental issues and conservation.
Booth became interested in environmental issues at a young age, while growing up in Southwestern Virginia.

"I spent a lot of time in the woods as a child and I spent my summers on my grandparents' farm. So, I guess you could say it's in my blood," Booth said. "I loved to fish and work in the garden and my father planted trees on Roosevelt Island during the Great Depression.

Booth, a 40-year resident of Northern Virginia, was a Congressional staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives before she retired and became freelance writer. She also works part time for the National Audubon Society.

Booth has been impressed with the way Belvoir and DoD have preserved the refuge and its entire species.

"The Accotink Bay is a remarkable example of the Defense Department and Belvoir's interest in preserving natural resources," Booth said. "I am sure there are lots of pressures to develop and use the land for other activities, especially with Base Realignment and Closure activities. So, I wanted to highlight it and give Belvoir credit for preserving what is really a natural jewel."

Booth added the wildlife refuge's unique location and conservation effort is worth educating the public about.

"My view is that very few people even know it exists. But, it is an unusual location being right smack in the middle of a military installation," Booth said. "So, I wanted to inform the public both of its value and of Belvoir's conservation efforts."

Booth has contributed to a variety of news outlets in the National Capital Region, including the Mount Vernon Voice, National Audubon Society and other news outlets. She is a frequent contributor to Virginia Wildlife magazine.

Her topics have ranged from the Potomac River's growing snakehead population to Northern Virginia's air quality.

"I feel strongly that we are all stewards of our environment and we all need to be better stewards of our environment," Booth said. "I have to commend the Defense Department for transitioning to using cleaner fuels, renewable energy and greener buildings."