[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E668]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         FRIENDS OF DYKE MARSH

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. DONALD S. BEYER, JR.

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 13, 2026

  Mr. BEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 50th anniversary of 
the Friends of Dyke Marsh.
  Since 1976, Friends of Dyke Marsh have partnered with the National 
Park Service to preserve, restore, and stabilize the Dyke Marsh 
Wildlife Preserve, a 480-acre freshwater tidal wetland on the Potomac 
River in Fairfax County and one of the last freshwater tidal marshes in 
the Washington, D.C., area.
  Congress wisely designated Dyke Marsh as ``irreplaceable'' in 1959, 
and it certainly remains so for the 300 species of plants, thousands of 
arthropods, 38 species of fish, 25 reptiles, 22 amphibians, and nearly 
300 species of birds that call it home.
  The people, wildlife, and ecosystems of Virginia are indebted to the 
engaged and concerned residents who, since the 1970s, have protected 
that irreplaceable landscape.
  Those residents founded Friends of Dyke Marsh to preserve the area 
and advocate for its survival.
  As marsh habitat dwindles elsewhere along the Potomac River, Friends 
of Dyke Marsh have worked to protect the area from the erosion, 
invasive species, pollution, and climate impacts that threaten so many 
temperate wetlands.
  Today, the group's work includes scientific studies, biological 
surveys, educational programs, stewardship activities, nature walks, 
trash cleanups, invasive plant control work, and comprehensive 
restoration planning. As the United States Geological Survey warns that 
Dyke Marsh could be gone entirely by 2035 due to erosion, that work is 
more important than ever.
  In my time in Congress, I have been proud to partner with the Friends 
of Dyke Marsh to champion efforts to support and secure funding to 
protect Dyke Marsh and ensure it thrives.
  Today, I am proud to honor Friends of Dyke Marsh on the occasion of 
the organization's 50th anniversary, thank all those who have been part 
of it over those five decades, and express gratitude for the 
community's enthusiasm and devotion to our irreplaceable natural 
places.

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