After decades of neglect, the DOPC was formed in 2010 to restore, promote, and maintain Dumbarton Oaks Park, now and for generations to come. In the heart of the city, the park is a 27-acre wild garden oasis designed in 1921 by Beatrix Farrand, America’s first female landscape architect. Through a public-private partnership with Rock Creek Park, DOPC mobilizes a vast number of volunteers to remove invasive plants, mitigate urban stormwater, and engage the next generation of environmental stewards in the service of restoring Farrand’s masterwork. Its Leave No Child Inside program engages vulnerable and disadvantaged youth in recreation, education, and stewardship that benefits the kids and the park. In all, more than 65,000 volunteer hours have helped restore 12 acres of meadows, waterfalls, woodlands, and historic structures. You can ensure this national treasure endures for yet another century.
COVID-19 Update:
While in-park volunteer time has diminished, volunteers are helping with projects like annual reports and fundraising; corporate volunteers are a central part of this shift. College interns support the Leave No Child Inside environmental education program working under DOPC director of education. While DOPC awaits the time when events become safe again, it urges everyone to enjoy the park – safely.
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