Environmental Justice

Land use policies have historically left communities of color unprotected from environmental degradation and pollution. From redlining that systematically denied housing-related services to Black people to building interstates through existing Black neighborhoods, these policies not only neglected communities of color, but often robbed them of access to open green spaces like national parks that provide significant health benefits. To this day, low-income communities and people of color develop a higher risk of health issues like asthma from living in polluted neighborhoods. Understanding climate impacts from an environmental justice standpoint involves recognizing that low-income and communities of color are disproportionately impacted by climate change.

It is not difficult to witness the environmental inequities in the Mid-Atlantic. In Washington, D.C., the Anacostia River has been a symbolic divider segregating the majority Black communities in Ward 7 and 8 from the rest of the city. The river, until recently, was known as one of the most polluted rivers in the region after decades of sewage dumping, sewage overflow, and uncontrolled sedimentation. Unlike the Potomac riverfront that has more affluent and white surrounding neighborhoods like Georgetown, the Anacostia River is known as to as Washington’s “forgotten river.” Even after the Clean Water Act was passed in 1972, Washington Navy Yard and Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO) continued to violate the Clean Water Act by letting metals and harmful chemicals leak into the water.

About 20 years ago, the D.C. government stepped in to take proactive measures to restore the river. This milestone was the fruit of grassroots advocacy by environmental justice and conservation groups. Since then, some wildlife, like bald eagles, have returned to the Anacostia River to make a home again. An important restoration effort involves rehabilitating the Kingman and Heritage Islands Park located in Anacostia. Today, over 100 bird species, mammals, and other wildlife can be found in the park. However, the interstates that run along the Anacostia still cut many Wards 7 and 8 communities’ direct access to Anacostia River, as well as the islands.

Sea level rise and flooding also pose major threats to communities of color. While sea level rise does not discriminate, communities of color are more likely to be located in low-lying land vulnerable to inundation, including the Eastern Shore in Maryland. The Eastern Shore is not only home to many African American communities in the Chesapeake Bay, but also to the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park where Tubman shepherded 70 enslaved people toward north for freedom. Sea level rise directly threatens both the protection of today’s communities and preservation of that historical legacy.

What does this mean for national parks?

According to the National Park Service data, in 2020, 77 percent of visitors to national parks and 78 percent of staff are white. Parks are important assets to communities, and they provide important recreational opportunities for both younger and older populations. Also, as climate change threatens marginalized communities more, greater access to national parks is needed. Parks can cool down surrounding neighborhoods, reducing the urban heat island effect. They can also provide green infrastructure to slow down stormwater runoff and prevent flooding.

The National Parks Conservation Association is actively working to expand communities of color’s access to national parks by forming partnerships with local community organizations. Through these collaborations, we aim to provide recreational activities to communities of color, enabling all to experience and enjoy the beauty of national parks. This inclusive approach not only fosters greater diversity within these natural spaces but also contributes to reducing environmental injustices by addressing historical disparities in access.