cycle of life

Many plants depend on a particular pollinator species. Many of the butterflies that grace the park each summer have larvae that depend on a single plant species for food. Preserving the whole is one way to ensure survival of all.

Genetic extinction can happen when a species population becomes isolated and relatives breed with relatives. Nature corridors are possibly a way to mitigate the urban park island phenomena. To join us in preserving corridors for plants and wildlife, consider becoming a park satellite.

Altering the land

Mankind has loved, used, and changed the land here. Surrounding the gardens on three sides, is Kenilworth Marsh, a remnant of the original marsh of Washington, DC, and extensive built marshes. The wetlands match the natural ebb and flow of the Anacostia River seasons, protecting communities from flood. The also protect habitat for wild flowers and wildlife, like the beaver that built this ditch.
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Historic water gardens

A homesick war veteran from Maine started the Aquatic Gardens as a hobby with a few wild waterlilies in a single pond. Time and diligence turned a trickle of curious visitors to a stream of customers for a growing commercial garden of twenty eight ponds. The dazzling displays were purchased in 1938 by the Federal Government to become the only National Park to display cultivated aquatic plants.
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Biological indicators

Students and adult volunteers help the park monitor biological indicators like frogs to assess water quality and other conditions.

To be a volunteer, click here.

To involve your students, click here.

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