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Ward 8 Woods
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Black Lives Matter and the Fight for Environmental Justice
Declaration unanimously approved by Board of Directors
June 16, 2020

The Ward 8 Woods Conservancy joins in the global chorus of outrage at the brutal murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and countless Black Americans before him and since at the hands of those sworn to “serve and protect.” We stand in solidarity with protesters who have braved tear gas, batons, rubber bullets and arrest to proclaim NO MORE. We condemn the violence instigated by police against nonviolent demonstrators and lend our support to calls for fundamental restructuring of policing and criminal justice in our country.  

The pain of this issue is personal to us: several of our staff and board members have been victims of mistreatment by police. But policing is just one component of institutional racism. At Ward 8 Woods our focus is on undoing environmental racism, the systematic targeting of communities of color for pollution and discrimination in the conservation and outdoor recreation arenas. We are fighting for a future where everyone is treated fairly and humanely by their government, and that includes equal access to the natural world. 

Our mission motto - healing the land, empowering people - points to the work we do to make Ward 8 parkland clean, beautiful and inviting, the income and training we provide to our Park Stewards, and the healing and strength all people can draw from spending time in nature.   

To document and share the stories of Ward 8 residents’ experiences on the land - including the impact of racism - we will soon launch an oral history project, with support from Humanities DC.  

To address the lack of safe access to the woods, we are proposing to construct more sustainable and user-friendly Ward 8 hiking trails like the George Washington Carver Trail, which we are already maintaining and improving.   

Our community garden project in Anacostia is thriving and will provide healthy food for residents through the end of October.  

All these efforts aim to address unmet needs that stem from racism. Any statement we make here and now will be, like our work, by necessity incomplete. The injustices we face are vast, with roots stretching back centuries. Those of us who are white have much to learn - and unlearn. 
​
But let us not underestimate the power of restoring nature – and justice – to small areas.
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  • Home
  • About Us
    • Staff
    • Media Coverage
    • History & Mission
    • Partners
    • Funders
    • Board
    • Black Lives Matter
  • The Woods
    • Why Woods Matter
    • Fort Stanton Park
    • Shepherd Parkway
    • Suitland Parkway
    • Oxon Run Parkway
    • Private Lands
  • Volunteer
  • Donate
  • Contact