Spotlight On
April 1, 2006
Organization Name: Potomac Conservancy
Founded: 1993
Contact Person: Matthew Logan, President
Address: 8601 Georgia Avenue, Suite 612, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
Phone: 301/608-1188
Fax: 301608-1144
E-mail: info@potomac.org
URL: http://www.potomac.org
Mission:
To protect the health, beauty, and enjoyment of the
Potomac River and its tributaries.
Background:
Founded in 1993, the Conservancy's scope spans the nearly
15,000-square-mile Potomac watershed, including parts of four states
(PA, MD, VA, WV) and the District of Columbia. Rivers and streams are
the organization's lifelines, providing habitat for hundreds of rare, threatened, and
endangered species; recreation for tens of thousands of outdoor
enthusiasts; and drinking water to nearly 90% of the Washington region's
residents.
Potomac Conservancy's conservation programs address the goals of
improving water quality, protecting the river's scenic integrity,
enhancing recreational resources, and building an informed and engaged
constituency. The organization's comprehensive approach uses a range of tools,
including restoration, permanent protection, advocacy, and citizen
education and engagement.
Potomac Conservancy has permanently protected 7,800 acres from
development. Last year alone the organization engaged more than 6,600 volunteers in
tree plantings, trash cleanups, and its Growing Native tree seed
collection event. In 2005, Potomac Conservancy celebrated the grand opening of its River
Center at Lockhouse 8 in the C&O Canal National Historical Park and
welcomed more than 1,800 visitors.
Current Programs:
The Conservancy's conservation programs address the following goals:
- Improving water quality by reducing and preventing sediment and
nutrient pollution. The Conservancy works in strategically targeted
watersheds to identify specific, on-the-ground solutions to prevent and
reduce non-point source pollution, especially from working lands and
urban areas. It advocates land use policies that increase protection for
the river.
- Protecting the most significant and threatened scenic
landscapes. The Conservancy identifies, prioritizes, and publicizes threats to important
scenic landscapes, and develops site-specific plans and partnerships to
protect these places.
- Expanding and enhancing responsible river-based recreation. The Conservancy
encourages responsible use of the Potomac River in partnership with the
National Park Service and others.
- Building a powerful and diverse constituency. The Conservancy
engages communities in educational and volunteer activities that
increase awareness about how personal actions impact the Potomac River.
Funding Needs:
Potomac Conservancy seeks general operating support for the organization's efforts, as
well as restricted funding for its four conservation programs.
The "Spotlight On" highlights the
activities of a different 501(c)3 nonprofit organization
serving the Metropolitan Washington, DC community.
The selection of organizations for the "Spotlight
On" is based on criteria such as programmatic
interests, geographic focus, and size, to ensure
the broadest possible representation of the region's
nonprofit sector.
If you'd like to see your NPO in the "Spotlight,"
e-mail a description of your organization, following
the above format, to dclibrary@foundationcenter.org,
with "Spotlight Submission" in the subject line.
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