Ron Dean

New wetlands like this will absorb some of the yearly floods of the Anacostia River.

The Anacostia River was engineered into a channeled city river from a meandering river with extensive wetlands, and remains channeled below Benning Road. Nature wants to take back the river, however and strips of willow, hibiscus, and other wetland plants thrive along the sea wall, providing shelter for a variety of birds Meadows at the edges of playing fields provide more habitat for ground nesting birds, rabbits, and fox.

The park staff established or improved marshes and riparian buffers where possible to improve water quality of the Anacostia River, and meet the Department of Interior agreement to the Chesapeake Bay Recovery Program. A testament to the success of this program is the way wildlife is returning to the area, and native plants are spreading and establishing themselves to further recovery efforts.