Fort Dupont

https://www.nps.gov/fodu/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Dupont_Park Fort Dupont Park is a wooded park located in Washington, DC. The name of the park comes from the old Civil War earthwork fort that lies within the park. The fort was one of several designed to defend Washington from a Confederate attack during the Civil War. It is one of Washington's largest parks and protects an important sub-watershed of the Anacostia River. The park is a popular place for picnics, nature walks, indoor ice skating, mountain bike riding, gardening, environmental education, music, skating, sports, and ranger-led Civil War programs. This 361 acre wooded park was once home to an earthen fort built to protect Washington, DC, during the Civil War. Today, visitors can see the fort's earthworks and escape to the great outdoors. Activities include picnics, nature walks, biking, gardening, environmental education, music, and ranger-led programs. Fort Dupont Park is located in Southeast Washington, DC, east of the Anacostia River. It is not near Dupont Circle. The closest metro rail stops are Potomac Avenue and Minnesota Avenue on the orange line, Benning Road on the blue line. Fort Dupont Park is served by several Metrobus routes. The most direct buses are the V7 and U2 buses on weekdays, or the V8 bus on weekends. Fort DuPont Park Fort during fall hike FODU Wild Turkeys at Fort Dupont A wild turkey Fort Dupont is great for birding. Wild turkeys are often spotted along our bike trails. Biking at Fort Dupont A park ranger leads a bike tour of Fort Dupont Fort Dupont has some great mountain biking trails for you to get exercise and enjoy nature. Fort Dupont Community Gardens Children plant vegetables at the community gardens The Fort Dupont community gardens are a popular spot for locals to garden and socialize. Contact the park for a garden permit. Pawpaw: Small Tree, Big Impact Pawpaw are small trees that don't grow past 100 feet. Yet they have a big influence-- they're the most commonly observed sapling in our National Capital Region forests. Pawpaw trees are virtually immune to deer browse and also produce the largest edible fruit native to North America! A hand holds a lumpy green pawpaw fruit The Civilian Conservation Corps and the Civil War Defenses of Washington The National Park Service established two camps in October 1933, one at Fort Hunt in Virginia and the other at Fort Dupont in the District of Columbia. Learn a little more about their work and contributions. Summer in the Parks (1968-1976) What began as a summer transportation program to send DC urban youth to Catoctin and Prince William Forest Parks in 1966 grew to a city-wide summer-long festival attracting residents to parks in every quadrant of the city. After the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., the program took on an additional role to help save a city from destroying itself. A group of boys smiles for the camera Tina Short: Listening to the Community Tina Short was one of the first African American women to serve as a Park Ranger in the National Capital Region. A native of Washington, D.C., Ms. Short spent her career at Fort Dupont Park, the very place she had attended as a day camper and became a Junior Ranger. Short became a well-known figure in the neighborhood, building programs that are still popular to this day. Woman park ranger in uniform Ash Tree Update 2017 The state of ash trees in 2017 in the National Capital Region after more than 10 years of harm from the invasive emerald ash borer. A white ash leaf Oak Decline Learn more about oak decline where a host of stressors interact to weaken trees over time, leading to what becomes "death by a thousand cuts." Looking up into the canopy of a mature oak showing symptoms of oak decline. Spring Amphibian Timeline Learn how the progression of amphibian appearances unfurls every spring. A gray tree frog clings to a small tree branch. Memorials for the Future Memorials for the Future, is a competition that aims to rethink the way we develop and experience memorials in Washington, D.C. Memorials for the Future Logo The Changing War Begun as a purely military effort with the limited political objectives of reunification (North) or independence (South), the Civil War transformed into a social, economic and political revolution with unforeseen consequences. As the war progressed, the Union war effort steadily transformed from a limited to a hard war; it targeted not just Southern armies, but the heart of the Confederacy's economy, morale, and social order-the institution of slavery. Woodcut of spectators watching a train station set fire by Sherman's troops Forest Soils Highlights from a 2007-2017 study of soils in National Capital Region Network I&M-monitored parks. Includes discussion of parent materials, heavy metal soil pollutants like lead, and how past land use effects O horizons. Collage of 6 color photos of soil profiles showing colors from orange-y reds to browns and grays. Explore DC’s national parks with a new, free app Navigate to popular destinations, get up-to-date information and discover lesser-known parks. With nearly 800 points of interest, the app includes the National Mall, President's Park, Rock Creek Park, Anacostia Park, Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, Wolf Trap, Arlington House, Theodore Roosevelt Island, Frederick Douglass NHS, Mary McLeod Bethune Council House NHS, Carter G. Woodson NHS, and hundreds more. National Park Service logo with Washington Monument and other memorials. Stiltgrass and Tree Seedling Recovery Recent analysis at Maryland's Catoctin Mountain Park shows Japanese stiltgrass does not limit the growth of tree seedlings in a forest recovering from deer overpopulation. Invasive Japanese stiltgrass blankets the sides of a shady forest road. Spotted Lanternfly 101 What you need to know about spotted lanternfly: a new, invasive, insect pest approaching the National Parks of the Mid-Atlantic. A spotted lanternfly with wings spread showing namesake spots Tina Short and Kym Elder: "The Story of People that Look Like Me" For Tina Short and Kym Elder, African American history is personal. The mother and daughter have expanded the stories the NPS tells while serving their home community. This article was developed from oral history interviews in which they discuss their careers in DC area parks. The interviews contribute to "Telling Our Untold Stories: Civil Rights in the National Park Service Oral History Project" and "Women’s Voices: Women in the National Park Service Oral History Project." Two NPS park rangers in uniform, both African American women, stand in front of a double door Brood X Periodical Cicadas FAQ Learn about the Brood X periodical cicadas that emerged in 2021 throughout the Mid-Atlantic U.S. A perched periodical cicada with red eyes and orange wings Forest Regeneration 2020 What is the future of our forests? A look at forest regeneration capacity in National Capital Area national parks based on 2020 monitoring data. hand holding a leaflet on a white ash seedling National Capital Region PRISM and Invasive Species Since invasive species don’t recognize park boundaries, we need to work together with our partners, neighbors, and other federal and state entities to manage across borders. We can’t do it alone! a hand holds a rosette of green leaves over the water Sea Level Rise in the DC Area Learn about current and projected rates of sea level rise in the greater DC area, based on local water level data collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) A tall white cylinder attached to a wooden pier with Hains Point in the background. Beech Trees in the National Capital Area American beech (Fagus grandifolia), the most common tree species in National Capital Area parks, is currently facing the emerging threat of Beech Leaf Disease (BLD). A forest with healthy green leafed beech trees Forest Regeneration 2021 The latest look at forest regeneration capacity in National Capital Area national parks based on monitoring data from 2021. Green forest showing healthy understory of oak seedlings. Georgia A. Ellard Georgia A. Ellard moved to Washington, DC, when housing, restaurants, theaters, and most other aspects of life were segregated. Beginning her National Park Service (NPS) career in 1955, she was the only Black person in her office. Working her way up from clerical positions, she served as the first Black woman in several career positions and became the third Black woman superintendent in the NPS. Georgia Ellard standing outside posing in her NPS uniform with badge on the jacket. Ash Tree Update 2021 Emerald ash borer (EAB) has killed most of the 300,000 ash trees in National Capital Region parks since 2014. Fewer than 80,000 living ash trees remain. Some ash-dominated swamps transformed into shrublands as ash root systems re-sprouted after EAB attack. In dry habitats, EAB proved more quickly fatal. A sunny swamp with dead tree trunks emerging from dense shrubs Vines on Trees at Forest Edges Learn how climbing vines affect tree growth and mortality in National Capital Region park forests. This material was originally presented in a 2016 resource brief. Vines climb on trees at the forest edge at Rock Creek's Barnard Hill Park. Forest Regeneration 2022 Tree seedlings and small saplings are still in short supply in National Capital Region national parks. A look at forest regeneration capacity based on monitoring data from 2022. Sunlight filtering through a green forest with green seedlings covering most of the forest floor. DC Black Pride at Fort Dupont Park The history of DC Black Pride and how the celebration found its way to Fort Dupont Park "Let's all come together. Black Lesbian and Gay Pride Day. Saturday, May 25th 1991 - Banneker Field" Ash Tree Update 2022 Emerald ash borer are still decimating ash trees in the National Capital Region. Read on for the latest look into the state of ash trees in our parks based on forest monitoring data. Metallic emerald ash borer beetle atop a chewed leaf Seep Shrimp Learn about the tiny creatures that live in our forest's seeps. three researchers in high-vis yellow gear search for shrimp in a snowy forest Forest Regeneration 2023 Tree seedlings and small saplings are slowly increasing in National Capital Region national parks. A look at forest regeneration capacity based on monitoring data from 2023. Three people stand in a forest, smiling and pointing to a large tree trunk between them. When Forests Come Down with a Bug: Forest Pests in the Greater DC Area Beech leaf disease, emerald ash borer, spotted lanternfly, spongy moth, oak decline and oak wilt are all pests present in National Capital Region (NCR) park forests. Learn about their effects and spread based on NCR Inventory & Monitoring data, and get the heads up on elm zigzag sawfly and beech bark disease. A black and red insect sits on a leaf.