Our Time to Act!
Our community deserves a healthy, resilient Potomac River that is safe enough to fish and splash in. Together, we can fulfill this promise – but we must act now.
Join Potomac Conservancy’s Campaign and help raise at least $8 million to dramatically increase the pace and scale of conservation in our region. This is the decisive decade. We must restore clean water to the Potomac River.
Will you join us?
Help Make the Potomac River Safe for Everyone
Our impact so far:
PROTECT
Saving our
Riverside Forests
Worked with partners to protect over 5,000 acres of streamside forests and upstream conservation.
Closed 84 conservation easements, permanently safeguarding 15,650 acres of forests and open space from harmful development.
Through the Safe Water Conservation Collaborative, we helped permanently safeguard 1,279 acres of land and 5.3 miles of stream in West Virginia.
RESTORE
Shaping a
Resilient Potomac
Worked with landowners and partners to complete 20 acres of riparian tree plantings at six sites across Virginia and West Virginia, both on public parks and private lands with high conservation value.
Through Tomorrow’s Trees program, we engaged over 1,105 volunteers, collected over 4,800 pounds of native tree seeds, and partnered with Maryland and Virginia foresters to support seed propagation and restoration planting efforts.
Co-chaired the Montgomery County Forest Coalition, successfully advocating for increased funding for reforestation and invasive species management.
ACTIVATE
Empowering
Community Change
Grew our clean water movement to 35,000+ supporters.
Launched the Community Hub leadership program that expands our stewardship in local communities and partnerships.
Engaged 1,600+ volunteers who volunteered over 3,000 hours to trash cleanups which removed over 31,000 pounds of trash from parks, streams, and shorelines along the Potomac River.
CATALYZE
Strengthening
Public Funding
Passed the Whole Watershed Act in Maryland – creating a focused holistic approach to water conservation and restoration and providing up to $20 million to five pilot projects.
Helped establish and lead the Our Virginia Outdoors Coalition – Advocating for $200 million of new, dedicated funding for conservation throughout Virginia.
Prevented the elimination of all funding for Program Open Space in Maryland.
Your Impact
Why It Matters
The Potomac is our river – The “Nation’s River.” Over five million people rely on the Potomac for drinking water. The river drives our economy, provides habitat for diverse wildlife, and connects us to outdoor enjoyment that enriches our lives.
Potomac Conservancy understands the vital bond between clean water and community well-being. As an accredited land trust, we improve local water quality through conservation strategies that protect streamside forests, restore resilient ecosystems, activate community change, and catalyze funding for river protection programs.
We have seen remarkable progress. The Potomac is the cleanest it’s been in generations, but rapid forest loss and extreme climate impacts are increasing pollution. We have a small window of opportunity to make the Potomac resilient and healthy – to finally return swimmable and fishable waters to all communities.
We must meet this moment with urgent and bold action, not just modest improvements.
Join our Clean Water, Healthy Communities Campaign today! This first-of-its-kind endeavor will raise funds to vastly increase the pace and scale of land and water protection in our region. Together, we will protect and restore the Potomac River for all of us, forever.
Latest Impact
Data centers aren’t in the clouds; they’re in the Potomac River region, which is why we’re taking a stand. We’re proud to be a part of the Virginia Data Center Reform Coalition alongside dozens of organizations and HOAs dedicated to studying the effects of data centers and urging lawmakers to put common-sense protections in place.
In Maryland, our policy team is closely monitoring local and state legislation related to data centers in Maryland and West Virginia for their potential impact on the Potomac watershed.
