2021 New Year Intentions for Health & Equity among the Anacostia Watershed

Despite the collective challenges facing our city, the Anacostia Park and Community Collaborative is committed to continuing in 2021 to organize for a more equitably accessible, cleaner, healthier, and safer Anacostia Watershed and Park system. If you are interested in helping to set 2021 APACC priorities for;

  • Anacostia Park and River development and restoration plans

  • Community engagement event ideas

  • Neighborhood (Ward 7 & 8) initiatives to support

  • Legislative Policy Advocacy areas of interest

    Come join an APACC meeting every first and third Friday at 10 AM.

APACC has kicked off the year working to organize community feedback and participation in the proposed clean-up plan for Kenilworth park. Check out the APACC webpage for a breakdown of information about the history of the Kenilworth Landfill site and a snapshot of the National Park Service’s proposed clean-up plans for Kenilworth Park. Don’t miss your opportunity to share your thoughts on the proposed clean-up plan before the close of the Public Comment Period on February 10th, 2021. You can leave your public comments via mail, phone, or find out more information about how to leave your comments here.

At the last APACC General Meeting held February 15th, we hosted an opportunity for folks to ask the National Park Service’s CERCLE project manager Donna Davies and the Department of Parks and Recreation’s Nick Kushner about the cleanup process. DPR will be hosting a series of visioning sessions (by ward) to assess recreational needs and desires among community members. Click here to register for your Ward’s Ready2Play session. The Ready2Play session for Ward 7 will be held on Feb

Social distancing is a challenge to us all but organizations like Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens are working to provide safe and creative opportunities for the community to engage in the intersections of art and nature. FKA in partnership with Capital Fringe will host a spring artist in a residency program, Down to Earth. Through the Down to Earth program, the artists, partners, and Fringe will shine a light on the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens and the Kenilworth area’s past, present, and future with a sharp focus on the stewardship of the natural environment and its intersectionality with systemic racism.

As the days get brighter and the winter season rolls into spring, many of us will be looking for ways to safely engage in the outdoors and develop ourselves as urban naturalists. The City Nature Challenge is an excellent opportunity for families, organizations and neighbors to engage in nature and learn more about the plants and animals in or own patch of grass, nearby park, or backyard. City Nature Challenge is an international effort for people to find and document plants and wildlife in cities around the globe using the phone app iNaturalist as a field identification tool. Usually, the City Nature Challenge is a competition between cities around the world. However, in light of COVID-19, the 2020 edition is not a competition. Instead, the focus has shifted to the value of nature in our lives and the collaborative aspect of sharing observations online. Consider coordinating a free and safe socially distanced City Nature Challenge community activity with your group, organization, or neighbors as a fun way to explore the nature near you! The City Nature Challenge starts on Earth day April 24th and ends on April 27th.

Don’t forget to register for National Audubon’s Society’s virtual Taking Nature Black Conference where APACC’s own Akiima Price as a keynote speaker and Brenda Richardson will be a session panelist. This conference brings together a regional network of Black nature advocates, professionals, and community leaders so register today to get connected.

Don’t forget to follow us on facebook for real-time social media updates and to join the conversation!

Anacostia Park and Community Collaborative