Editor, Gazette-Journal:
Since 99 percent of Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay waterfront property is privately owned, the small parcels of land for public waterfront and beach access are severely limited to a handful of state and county parks.
Several well-kept beaches—such as Haven, Aaron and Bethel Beach in Mathews County—see heavy traffic in the summer. Since beach access is so limited, citizens who visit them must keep the beach and parking areas spotless of trash so that they remain public, free and appealing.
Two recent visits to Haven revealed excessive parking lot trash. After a full trash bag was picked up by me in mid-June, two weeks later on July 4, the Haven parking lot was again trashed and picked up by me. There is actually a trash dumpster in the parking lot.
The good news is the beaches are relatively free of trash. All citizens and visitors who use the precious, public waterfront and beaches in Virginia are encouraged to do their part to maintain their beauty.
Timothy J. Thom...