Teamwork makes the dream - a swimmable and fishable Anacostia River - work!

After a very special Earth Day weekend spent with thousands of volunteers throughout the Anacostia River Watershed, the Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS) had the honor of teaming up with the Washington Commanders and Recycle Track Systems (RTS) to clean up trash accumulated in Fort Dupont Park in Washington, DC.

Fort Dupont Park was once an earthen fort built to protect Washington, DC during the Civil War. It was part of the Eastern Branch (Anacostia River) Line Defenses. The historical significance of our cleanup location was not lost on us as we joined forces to defend the Anacostia River from pollution in the park.

Dozens of volunteers, including Major Tuddy, the new Washington Commanders mascot, removed 36 bags of trash, 20 bags of plastic bottles and beverage containers, and a small mountain of bulk trash, which included many car parts and a razor scooter.

Today Fort Dupont Park is a 376 acre wooded park with trails, community gardens, picnic space, and home to a variety of activities and ranger-led programs by the National Park Service. A great part of the Anacostia River watershed to explore!

It was energizing to not only work with the Commanders in Fort Dupont Park, but to learn about their collaborative effort with RTS to be agents of environmental change in the DC, MD, and VA area by utilizing a range of sustainability services, including AI powered sensors, to reduce environmental impact.

To quote AWS President and CEO, Chris Williams, “The Washington Commanders have been such an important part of our community and integral to the life of the community in the watershed. [The Commanders] have been citizens of it for decades, and it’s just great to have this group clean up the watershed and help conserve and restore it.”

Thank you, Washington Commanders and Recycle Track Systems, for helping us to #TakeCommand in conserving one of the many wonderful parks in DC as we work towards a swimmable and fishable Anacostia River. Watch the video below to see more about that productive day!