DC Water broke ground on the Piney Branch Tunnel in Rock Creek Park. The 4.2M-gallon tunnel aims to cut sewage overflows and restore the creek.

Freedom Plaza reopened with a refurbished fountain and a new statuary installation — including a returned Caesar Rodney statue and a Prison Ship Martyrs tribute.

Federal clearance unlocks disaster‑relief money for Surf City’s long‑planned beach renourishment, moving the six‑mile project closer to construction.

A Germantown homeowner photographed a black bear drinking from a birdbath; neighbors nicknamed it “Yogi.” Maryland DNR urges residents to secure feeders and report sightings.

Copperhead snakes are surfacing earlier across the Washington, D.C. area; local rescues report dozens of encounters and offer safety tips and yard advice. Experts link the early activity to a variable spring.

After years of delays, Skyland Town Center in Southeast D.C. cut the ribbon on a nearly one‑acre community park that adds play space, seating and a multiuse plaza. City officials say public investment helped unlock the stalled redevelopment.

A January Interior directive is prompting managers to roll back hunting limits at dozens of park units, from Cape Cod to Jean Lafitte, drawing cheers and warnings. Officials say safety closures remain but implementation is already underway.

Nearly 120 wildland firefighters say rescinding the Roadless Rule would invite more human starts and put crews in harm’s way.

Thousands of honey bees clustered on the Renwick Gallery across from the White House Friday; beekeepers were called in to relocate the swarm.

A bridge‑beam milestone at the Southeast Tennis & Learning Center moves the Ward 8 expansion closer to a late‑summer 2026 opening and USTA‑level junior events.

Conservationists appealed to the Ninth Circuit after a judge cleared Ioneer's Rhyolite Ridge lithium project, saying it threatens Tiehm's buckwheat.

A DOI memo and the White House FY2027 budget push the Park Service toward 'visitor‑facing' roles while conservationists warn a roughly $736M cut could gut staffing and repairs.

A $51.6 million gift from Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for AlUla will fund a new Arabian leopard habitat at the National Zoo, with construction slated for late summer 2026 and an opening targeted for 2029.