Groundwork Anacostia River DC, known as GWARD, began in 2007. It is a program that is vital for the health of the river and the entire region. GWARD’s goals are to reconnect residents to their neighborhood environments, open spaces, and parks. GWARD is funded for start-up by the Environmental Protection Agency out of its brownfields office.
Groundwork started in the UK in the ‘70s and the model was so successful there that in the ‘90s the program was adopted in the United States. The Groundwork strategy is to involve the community in changing places such as vacant land, brownfields, and landfills. The projects vary from community parks and gardens to new walking trails and paths.
Groundwork U.S.A has a number of different sites and the program is expanding its network every year. D.C. was lucky number 13. The health of the Anacostia River is very important not just for Washington
D.C., but for the entire region. a doubt, it will be costly to reclaim the river. Councilmember Tommy Wells led the legislation for the five cents plastic bag fee that is dedicated to the cleanup of the river.
One of the projects that Groundwork is involved in pays for three in-stream litter traps. This project was developed in Australia and is the first of its kind in the Western hemisphere, right here in Ward 7. The traps are emptied every week and all trash and debris are removed and disposed of appropriately. From 2011- 2013, Groundwork removed over 11,000 lbs. of trash out of just one trap in the Kenilworth area.
Dennis Chestnut, GWARD”s founding Executive Director, feels it is very important to educate the community about the impact of recycling and how to get rid of trash properly so that it doesn’t end up in the Anacostia River, Potomac River, Chesapeake Bay and, finally, the ocean. We have the largest treatment plant in the country; if the river were clean and if we didn’t have as much pollution to remove, we could use those resources for housing, education, etc. The more residents understand and are proactively engaged in good stewardship, the more everyone benefits.
The Anacostia River is one of the seven most polluted rivers in the country but because of the collective efforts of a few different organizations and the federal Urban Waters Initiative, it is improving. Washington D.C. has implemented some very progressive initiatives and as a result, neighboring counties are taking up some of these initiatives like a ripple effect.
One of GWARD’s major programs is the green team program that is centered in high schools. In four local schools, students who are green team members are tasked with developing service-learning projects for lower-level schools. In addition, they recruit their classmates to volunteer for opportunities that are provided by Groundwork and its partners. GWARD’s teaching process starts from the cradle up and its entire focus is to engage the entire family. GWARD’s track record speaks for itself. Six tons of trash and debris have been cleaned up in Anacostia and more than 2,544 trees, 4,000 shrubs, 12,735 bulbs and perennials have been planted. GWARD has involved 20 businesses and created 93 jobs, improved 44 acres of open space, park land, and 5 miles of sidewalks, installed 521 small amenities (flower boxes, signs, trash cans, recycling bins), 358 large amenities (benches, playgrounds, raised bed, rain gardens) and reduced 6 tons of Co2 emissions. The work this organization is doing for the community is beneficial now and will be vital for years to come.
