National Capital Parks-East
Restoring wetland habitat along a troubled river
Kingman Lake and Anacostia River.
Photo: NPS
The Anacostia River is a tidal freshwater 
tributary flowing through Maryland and the District of Columbia to the Potomac River. Tidal wetlands 
within Washington DC are rare. Historic dredging operations 
have impacted the wetlands, along with brownfields, sanitary landfills 
, dumping, and large inputs of nutrients 
from stormwater discharges and combined sewers. Restorations at Kingman Lake and Kenilworth Marsh have recreated ~110 acres of emergent tidal wetland, providing habitat for many wetland species including migratory birds 
.
tributary flowing through Maryland and the District of Columbia to the Potomac River. Tidal wetlands within Washington DC are rare. Historic dredging operations have impacted the wetlands, along with brownfields, sanitary landfills , dumping, and large inputs of nutrients from stormwater discharges and combined sewers. Restorations at Kingman Lake and Kenilworth Marsh have recreated ~110 acres of emergent tidal wetland, providing habitat for many wetland species including migratory birds .
Parks serve as species refugia and migratory corridors
Park meadow and Washington Monument.
Photo: NPS
Sites within National Capital Parks–East provide protection for many species from increasing development 
. The parks have rare habitats such as sand and gravel beaches, floodplains, upland forests, and various wetland systems. The parks host 100 rare, threatened, and endangered plants and animals, including the lamp mussel 
and bald eagle 
, and create migratory corridors for birds and butterflies. Urban pressures, such as invasive plant species 
and increased feral cats 
, make park lands critical resources to preserving native species.
. The parks have rare habitats such as sand and gravel beaches, floodplains, upland forests, and various wetland systems. The parks host 100 rare, threatened, and endangered plants and animals, including the lamp mussel and bald eagle , and create migratory corridors for birds and butterflies. Urban pressures, such as invasive plant species and increased feral cats , make park lands critical resources to preserving native species.