The National Park Service is in the midst of a multi-year plan to begin to restore the 1863 sight lines, woods, and orchards that existed during the Battle of Gettysburg. The latest major tree clearing has been along the west side of Taneytown Road, where, as you can see from the photo, for the first time in a generation, the view has opened up.
The towering Pennsylvania Monument now is clearly visible from Taneytown Road. The only downside to the clear-cutting is that the previous view from west of the monument looking east is now uglier. Instead of seeing the woods, the viewer now stares at the park's unsightly maintenance sheds. However, the improved view from Taneytown Road is worth the effort, and, again, there are now no trees where it was open pastureland in July 1863 when this was a reserve position in back of the II Corps line.
What is your opinion of the National Park Service's tree-cutting program? Good or bad, and why?
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