Nature & Science

An Egret and Blue Heron in the marsh

Photo by: Tim Ervin

Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens is a part of Anacostia Park, pieced together like a mosaic along the Anacostia River. It is a park full of recreation fields, marshes, wildflowers, and display pools.

Nowhere is this more obvious than at the northern end of the park. Like looking into a time capsule, one finds remnants of Washington's nature legacy here. Marsh plants that fed local civilizations for thousands of years survive, ice ponds that would have helped with preserving food in the winter still exist, and colorful summer butterflies fill the breeze with beauty. It's truly a sight to behold.

By preserving a part of the flood plain of the Anacostia River, Congress authorized a park that serves the public by filtering water, reducing flood damage, and preserving the biological and cultural resources that let us see the past from the future.