The National Mall Tidal Basin is under grave threat. Home to the Jefferson Memorial and famed cherry trees—and the newer memorials to Martin Luther King Jr. and FDR—this iconic memorial landscape in Washington, D.C., faces profound challenges including crumbling infrastructure, daily flooding, over visitation, and a lack of interpretation.
That's why the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Trust for the National Mall have undertaken a multi-year campaign to save it.
Learn More
Silt and water from the nearby Potomac Flats make the Tidal Basin unstable, and the conditions they create compromise the site's historic structures and visitor experiences. Each day at high tide, water floods the surrounding sidewalks, making a stroll under the cherry trees impossible.
Worse, these floodwaters are endangering the roots of the cherry trees, which are in full bloom as you read this.
Other issues include perimeter and safety challenges, substandard visitor facilities, and inadequate interpretation. Chronic underfunding of the National Park Service maintenance budget compounds these issues.
Show Less
Take action today to help save this complex cultural landscape in America's front yard!