The newly renamed Rock Creek Conservancy held an evening open house Tuesday at their new home at Bethesda Green. The Conservancy now shares office space with other green startups at the downtown headquarters as part of Bethesda Green’s incubator program.

The Rock Creek Conservancy is a nonprofit group working to protect and restore Rock Creek and its waters, parks and lands. Rock Creek covers 1,700 acres and 33 miles of creek running through the Washington metropolitan area, and the Conservancy focuses on the creek and surrounding area in Maryland and Washington, D.C.

It’s a unique swath of green for anyone driving from D.C.  A drive through parkland is a rarity for cities and a relief for local residents who love the outdoors. I used to commute through Rock Creek Park and was glad for the foresight of those who protected the creek and the surrounding land from development. 

On Tuesday evening I was glad to meet the people who are continuing to assure the health and beauty of Rock Creek.

A New Name and an Expanded Mission
Rock Creek Conservancy was formerly known as Friends of Rock Creek’s Environment, and the new name reflects the current mission of the organization.

Working with organizations and individuals in both Montgomery County and the District, Rock Creek Conservancy is focused on building partnerships with government agencies, other nonprofit organizations, businesses, institutions, community groups and residents to preserve Rock Creek for current use and the enjoyment of future generations.

“We work closely with the parks system. They are under increasing budget pressure and we’d really like to help them,” said executive director Beth Mullin. Beth was on hand at Tuesday's open house along with program manager Joan Furlong, their entire team and many Conservancy board members, talking with attendees about their mission and their future plans.

Bethesda Green Provides a Home and a Network of Support
Rock Creek Conservancy’s office at Bethesda Green is the organization’s first official office and the team appreciates the benefits of a Bethesda Green location. 

“Our Bethesda Green office offers networking opportunities. We need to get people to know us and to care about Rock Creek,” said Mullin.  “We’re still young and we’re growing.” 

In addition to office space, Bethesda Green has conference rooms for meetings and gatherings such as Tuesday’s open house for its incubator companies.

Join a Stream Team, Bike with the Family, or Attend a Night at the Netherlands Embassy
The Conservancy has a number of ways to get involved and to get to know Rock Creek and welcomes participation at any level. One of the best ways is to join a ‘stream team’ if you live along Rock Creek. 

“Stream teams are a way to connect people to Rock Creek,” said Mullin. “We would like to have a team in every neighborhood along Rock Creek.” 

Stream teams help with trash cleanup and stream restoration and are trained to spot potential creek-related problems to report to authorities. 

The Conservancy also has a Rock Creek Bike Eco Tour planned for Saturday, Oct. 1 from 10a.m. to 1p.m. which promises to be a slow, family friend ride with stops at the C&O Canal, the National Zoo and Pierce Mill and Boulder Bridge. The ride is organized in conjunction with Potomac Pedalers Touring Club. 

You can also support the Conservancy at their upcoming Royal Netherlands Embassy Party by the Park on Wednesday, Oct. 19 from 6p.m. to 8p.m. at the Royal Netherlands Embassy on Linnean Avenue N.W. in Washington, D.C.

Rock Creek Conservancy, congratulations on your new name, your new home, and your expanding mission.  We welcome you to Bethesda and Bethesda Green and we look forward to many events and activities to benefit the preservation of Rock Creek!