22 VIRGINIA FORESTS Newport News Waterworks Property The tour was conducted by George “Eddie” Harrah, Chief of Natural Assets, James McCabe, Forester, and Graham King, Forest Specialist. Waterworks owns and operates five reservoirs and more than 12,000 acres of watershed property. Since 1947, a forest management program has existed to help promote the health of the forests within the watershed. The forests are managed with water quality protection being the primary objective. Participants made four stops to show the forest management activities and initiatives being undertaken by the agency. Remarkable Tree Walk Neil Clark, forester with Virginia Cooperative Extension, led the group on a tour of the many remarkable trees that are found in Colonial Williamsburg, including the renowned Compton oak where the group gathered for a photo. This tree is the largest Compton oak known to exist in the United States. Featured in the Virginia Big Tree Project database, which catalogs the state’s largest species of trees, the Historic Area’s Compton oak stands some 70 feet tall and 97 feet wide with a trunk measuring 14 feet in circumference. SummiT Tours (Photo by Lea Braford) Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area Just a short walk from the Williamsburg Lodge, the Colonial Williamsburg historic area showcases the preservation of 18th-century buildings and a full-scale restoration of the former colonial capital. History is brought to life by knowledgeable guides and costumed interpreters who provide interactive, immersive programs for visitors.
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