Anacostia Watershed Society Applauds Mayor Bowser’s Investment in Kingman Island

(Kingman Island, DC – January 12, 2018) – More than 25 years after Anacostia Watershed Society fought to prevent commercial development of Kingman Island, Mayor Muriel Bowser today announced a major $5 million investment in educational and recreational amenities, effectively funding Phase 1 of the recently developed Kingman Island Strategic plan.  In addition, Mayor Bowser officially designated Kingman and Heritage Islands as a "State Conservation Area," and designated the southern portion of Kingman Island as a "Critical Wildlife Area."

“We applaud Mayor Bowser for launching 2018 as the Year of the Anacostia with this significant investment in Kingman and Heritage Islands,” said Jim Foster, President of the Anacostia Watershed Society.   “As we come closer to a swimmable and fishable Anacostia River public green spaces like Kingman and Heritage Island will become even more important to our community.” 

In 1992, Anacostia Watershed Society led the opposition to a proposal from a private developer to build a theme park on Kingman Island.   While back then the Anacostia River was seen as a polluted eyesore, AWS believed that it could be restored and become an important recreational and educational amenity.  Today as development brings new residents to the banks of the Anacostia, public access is even more important.  Over the past decades, AWS has restored the Kingman marsh with native plants, removed invasive plants from the islands, and installed a floating dock to provide access to paddlers. 

For more information about the plans for Kingman and Heritage Island, go to: https://doee.dc.gov/publication/kingman-island-heritage-island-planning-feasibility-study