Adopt a Garden or Park

Help care for Alexandria’s parks and gardens! Individuals and groups can partner with the City to maintain green spaces, support community beautification, and even earn awards for improvement projects. Get involved and make a local impact.
Page updated on February 24, 2026 at 1:27 PM
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Adopt a Garden

RPCA RO Dale Street Community Gardens 6

Program Overview

The Adopt-a-Garden program is a cooperative venture between the City of Alexandria and its citizens. Through an agreement with the City, an individual, community, or group assumes responsibility for assisting in the maintenance of a garden located on public property.

Volunteer Group at the Nature Center

Program Purpose

The program began in response to citizen interest. Many residents and organizations wanted to create new gardens or care for existing ones, giving the community a chance to enhance public spaces through hands-on involvement.

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Learn More & Apply

Want to help keep Alexandria’s gardens beautiful? Find program details and submit your Adopt-a-Garden application online today!

Questions? Email oscar.mendoza@alexandriava.gov.

Adopt a Park

RPCA RO Windmill Hill Park 37

Program Overview

The Adopt-a-Park program brings together Virginia, the City of Alexandria, and local residents to care for small urban parks and open spaces, keeping them clean, safe, and welcoming for everyone.

Council members worked with Alexandria students to plant a tree for Earth Month and arbor day.

Who Can Participate?

Open to established community or public organizations, businesses, government agencies and individuals located within the City of Alexandria. Groups must have a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and be able to accept payment. Those unable to do so are not eligible to participate.

Family Cleaning Up River

What Does It Entail?

Groups pick up litter including paper, plastic, glass, aluminum, and other debris in their assigned park at least once a week. Gloves, trash pickers, and bags are available on request. Report hazards or illegal dumping to the program manager or Alex311. Leave tied bags by the nearest receptacle.

Girl dressed in white shirt and jeans picking up trash in the woods while holding a blue trash bag

Where to Clean Up?

Any RPCA-managed park or green space is eligible for adoption. Areas can range from 0.1 to 20 acres, depending on your group’s level of commitment. Parks are offered on a first-come, first-served basis and can only be adopted by one group at a time.

Click here to view parks managed by RPCA.

Volunteers pose with their bags and grabbers at the Four Mile Run steam cleanup.

When to Clean Up?

The program runs annually from April 1-November 30. Groups commit to weekly cleanups and report their efforts using an online log form. A City official conducts monthly inspections and evaluates litter conditions. Monetary awards are distributed at the beginning of the following year.

adult volunteers

Why Participate?

Each year, RPCA receives funding through the VA DEQ Litter Prevention and Recycling Grant to support the Adopt-A-Park program. These funds help groups care for parks, fund activities, or make improvements like benches, playgrounds, landscaping, and scholarships, keeping parks safe and welcoming.

Icon of three green hands raised up as if to volunteer with the hand in front in dark green and the other two hands outlined in green

How Does It Work?

City officials inspect parks monthly from April through November, scoring up to 12 points across paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum. Deductions occur for litter, missed weeks, or no logs. Seasonal points and park size determine monetary awards from available grant funds.

Icon with three horizontal lines in a row with spaces in between and each line gets progressively shorter and an envelope on the right

Learn More & Apply

Submit an Adopt-a-Park Volunteer Application to the Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities for review and a department representative will contact you shortly.

Apply Today

Questions? Email raychel.frye@alexandriava.gov.

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