photo by Jim Havard
From an email:
“On MLK Day, clean water champions to remove trash from Anacostia Park in DC
WHAT: Volunteer trash cleanup to support a healthy Potomac River
WHO: Potomac Conservancy and National Park Service
WHEN: Sat Jan 18 @ 09:00AM
WHERE: Anacostia Park, 1500 Anacostia Drive, Washington, DC 20020
WHY: To honor the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service by working for a clean, swimmable, and fishable Potomac River
HOW: For more information or to schedule interviews, contact Jake Hess, Potomac Conservancy, at [email protected], 202-957-3761
SUMMARY Potomac Conservancy and the National Park Service are hosting fifty volunteers to remove trash from ecologically sensitive areas in Anacostia Park in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. To participate, volunteers must register online at https://potomac.org/events. All media representatives are welcome; please let us know if you intend to come if possible. See the attached for event FAQs.
River cleanups are critical to improving water quality and protecting wildlife habitat in the Potomac, which provides drinking water for more than five million people. The river remains unsafe for swimming and fishing despite recent progress. The Potomac Conservancy’s latest river health report card issued a “B” grade, up from a “D” in 2011. An updated report card is forthcoming in 2025.
Potomac+Rver+Cleanup+Faqs (PDF)
In addition to the Anacostia Park event, Potomac Conservancy and Montgomery Parks are hosting a simultaneous cleanup in Silver Spring’s East Norbeck Local Park. Details are available at https://potomac.org/events.”