Home of the Potomac River (reputedly the wildest river in an urban area anywhere in the world), the Chesapeake Bay (a wildlife habitat, national source of food, fish, and heritage), and some of the most beautiful and extensive parklands anywhere, Greater Washington depends on its extraordinary natural resources for many things: for drinking water (80% comes from the Potomac), as a sanctuary for hundreds of globally significant and rare species, and as a means to restore ourselves by cultivating solitude in the midst of our busy lives. We know that land is scarce – as Mark Twain famously commented, “they aren’t making it any more”– and we understand the pressures of development: population growth, automobile traffic, and increased demands on land and water. But when beaches are closed, fish develop abnormalities, and antiquated treatment systems leak sewage into our rivers and streams, we also know that something needs to be done. The organizations featured here all strive to find the right balance or redress an imbalance: to offer planned development in place of sprawl, to plant where logging has damaged the land, to clean up, restore, revitalize, and re-people. Education is also key: it creates a new generation of stewards who are invested in our natural resources. Whether the forgotten spaces are city parks or mountain retreats, the goal is the same: preservation, conservation ... and inspiration. We certainly hope you find the latter here.