The Anacostia River is increasingly getting better press, and more and more DC residents are beginning to recognize and celebrate the river as a vast and beautiful shared public amenity. The positive evolution of conventional wisdom around the river is decades in the making, and several “watershed” (get it?) milestones are approaching that will significantly change the river—and perhaps how we think about it.

The National Park Service owns and manages a majority of the Anacostia River waterfront. National Capital Parks-East (NACE), which manages Anacostia Park, relies on local partners, including residents, non-profits and DC government agencies, to help achieve its mission. NACE is currently expanding its capacity to collaborate with new and existing partners.

It is critical to set up a process for residents in the front line neighborhoods, working alongside experts in housing, policy, planning and other fields, to define what they want their communities to be. 

Recently, I was thinking about the proposed plan for the modest children’s environmental education campus on Kingman/National Children’s Island, and I happened to see an interview with someone named Jason Morris.