Rock Creek Park is a national park located in the heart of Washington, DC. Much like Central Park, it is surrounded by city, but unlike that famous park, not many people outside of the DMV know that its there. Which seems odd – it covers almost 2,000 acres, and is next to famous landmarks and neighborhoods like the Smithsonian National Zoo and Dupont Circle. However, those that do know of the park treasure it. It’s running and walking trails, golf course, planetarium, and picnic areas are favorites of DC natives. But Rock Creek Park faces external threats – pollution, stormwater, and invasive plants all threaten the health of the park and its namesake creek. Since Rock Creek is a tributary of the Potomac River, that river’s health is also at stake. And what does the Potomac River flow into? The Chesapeake Bay, whose watershed includes more than 150 rivers and streams, and is a severely threatened ecosystem. Although its rating has gone up in recent years, the Bay still ranks only 31 out of 100 for ecosystem health. So by protecting Rock Creek, we can also help improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay.
That’s where the Rock Creek Conservancy comes in. Formerly the Friends of Rock Creek, the Conservancy’s mission is to protect the lands and waters of Rock Creek, and revitalize the park for people to treasure and enjoy. They fulfill this mission in a variety of ways. They educate the community about Rock Creek Park, increasing awareness of the threats to the park and teaching residents and businesses to work together to address those issues. They also advocate for the creek by writing letters, speaking at public hearings, and working with government officials. Finally, they take action – they organize “stream teams” that adopt sections of the park for environmental stewardship, host the annual Rock Creek Extreme Cleanup to pick up trash at 50 locations around Rock Creek, and hold demonstrations to showcase how property owners can capture rainwater runoff on their own property and prevent it from accessing the creek.
That’s where Mark Leisher Productions became involved. We recently worked with Rock Creek to document their RiverSmart Washington initiative. Working with the District Department of the Environment (DDOE) and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), Rock Creek Conservancy helped homeowners in Chevy Chase and Petworth adopt practices to help reduce runoff from their property. They installed rain barrels to capture and store rainwater, planted rain gardens that allow water to soak into the ground rather than flow across it, and installed permeable pavings in driveways and walkways that allow water to permeate the ground beneath. MLP followed Rock Creek Conservancy as they visited several of these homes to check on the progress of their initiatives. We’ve created a 3-minute video explaining their efforts and encouraging DC residents to participate. The video is in final edits right now, and should be ready for distribution shortly. Meanwhile, we’re proud to have worked with a fellow Incubator company to promote solutions to local issues, and we look forward to working with them again in the future!