ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
“Protecting the environment and developing clean, sustainable, and economically viable resources are among the most urgent challenges of our time."
– Gabriela Smith, Founder and Executive Chair
For Earth and for Us.
Environmental Sustainability is based on the belief that everything we need for our survival is dependent on the natural environment and that our health and well-being are directly tied to the health of our planet.
At Crimsonbridge, we believe that by working towards sustainability, we can create and maintain an environment in which humans and nature exist in harmony.
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Think globally. Act locally.
The Chesapeake Bay Watershed region is where we call home - where we live, work, and enjoy the outdoors. Our effort to protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, and restore the natural environment from the impacts of climate change, begins here.
Since 2023, Crimsonbridge has awarded environmental sustainability grants to local nonprofit organizations serving our region. Join us as we act to conserve and protect our region's natural resources and environment for generations.
Working with community partners to support Environmental Sustainability across the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
Building the Region’s Environmental Health and Engagement
Crimsonbridge Foundation partners with local organizations to increase sustainability through tangible improvements to the environment, focusing on:
Robust Tree Canopy
Clean Water
Biodiversity and Native Species
Green Workforce Development
Stewardship
Robust Tree Canopy
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Stewarded four public green spaces across Washington, DC — planting 87 native trees and 100 understory plants and removing invasive species to improve habitat quality.
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Planted 159 native trees across 13 Arlington neighborhoods, a 215% increase over previous planting efforts prior to the Tree Ambassador program.
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Maintained 379 trees through pruning, mulching, watering, and invasive species removal.
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Produced 4 tree care videos reflecting current arboriculture best practices, expanding access to stewardship resources for community members.
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Photo Source: Casey Trees
Clean Water
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Leading Potomac River sewage spill recovery efforts by expanding water quality monitoring, building public awareness, and strengthening oversight of wastewater infrastructure.
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Developed 2025 Potomac River Report Card with new climate resilience data, while centering community voices.
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Rehabilitated 12.5 miles of shoreline and waterways, through erosion control, debris removal, bank stabilization, and habitat restoration.
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Conducted flood mapping for Little Paint Branch watershed, to inform restoration and resilience planning.
Photo Source: Potomac Conservancy
Biodiversity and Native Species
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Planted 865 native trees strategically paired with native grasses and wildflowers, expanding biodiversity and enhancing stormwater management across planting sites.
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Freed thousands of trees and hundreds of acres from invasive vines and plants — covering 10% of Rock Creek Park's watershed — and planted 100 additional trees near Picnic Grove 24.
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Removed invasive vines from over 2,400 trees from woodland areas near the Anacostia River and removing 421,000 pounds of refuse from the land and river.
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Increased production capacity and availability of Local Native Plant Species through greenhouse expansion.
Photo Source: Chesapeake Natives
Green Workforce Development
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Hosted tree care trainings for early-career urban forestry professionals.
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Train and hire local young adults for paid conservation positions focused on tree care, trail construction, tool safety, and environmental stewardship - 86% of participants reported gaining valuable conservation and employment skills.
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Created paid conservation positions for local residents providing six months of hands-on training including a landscaping professional certificate, First Aid, and trail maintenance.
Photo Source: Ward 8 Woods
Stewardship
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Expanded geographic reach by training volunteer leaders to self-identify and coordinate community events - hosting 11 community-led opportunities, engaging 116 volunteers, and surpassing every native seed collection goal in 2025.
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Piloted a community forestry program in two neighborhoods, testing a resident-choice model to increase the survivability rate of newly planted native trees.
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Developed multilingual educational resources, resulting in increased community engagement.
Photo Source: Nature Forward
Watch our partner Casey Trees' video on how to plant a thriving tree!
Get involved! Learn more about volunteer opportunities and the work of our Environmental Sustainability community partners!
