Green Seattle e-Newsletter August 2009

Green Seattle emerges into the world of social media!

Follow us on Twitter, become our fan on Facebook!

We are now helping to achieve the goals of the Green

Seattle Partnership using social media. These tools connect you with others involved in the Partnership, provide a very useful mechanism for sending us your feedback, and allow you to stay up to date with Green Seattle news. You can also find photos, volunteer events, marketing tools, and information about the Partnership.

Find us on Twitter and Facebook and then invite your friends to do the same! See you on the web!

Green Seattle Twitter

Green Seattle Facebook

Bridging Communities in South Seattle

A profile of Andrea Ostrovsky and Mary DeJong, Forest Stewards at Cheasty Greenspace

Before 2008, the Cheasty Greenspace was a much different
place than it is today. The park’s trees were being smothered by English Ivy, its open spaces were being filled in by dumping, and its dark trails regularly hosted an assortment of illicit activities. The early work of the Greenspace’s forest stewards, Mary DeJong and Andrea Ostrovsky, involved working with the Seattle Police Department to locate encampments and with volunteers to create survivor rings for hundreds of the park’s trees.

Today, the park feels safer. Sunlight, previously blocked by the dense overstory of ivy, now streams through the trees to welcome visitors who come to enjoy the Greenspace’s trails and natural beauty. This change is the result of the hard work of Cheasty’s neighbors, including Andrea and Mary – the restoration efforts devoted leaders.
The two met over their “passion for the need for safe forested parks in our urban neighborhoods within which ALL could safely enjoy and recreate.” They now host community work parties in the Greenspace on the first Saturday of every month. Volunteers, including a dedicated group from Seattle Pacific University, have cleared invasive species from over half of the site’s acreage. But they aren’t stopping at ivy removal. Aside from the ongoing restoration at Cheasty, Mary and Andrea have a greater vision for their work. They see the Greenspace as a potential link between Beacon Hill’s Lockmore neighborhood and Columbia City. “How amazing would it be to walk in the woods to the Columbia City Light Rail Station en route to work downtown?” asks Mary. The value of adding natural areas to the morning commute is very clear. They also see Cheasty as a venue for the diverse and traditionally underserved Rainier Valley community to get outside and enjoy experiences in an urban wilderness.

The two are thankful for the support of the Green Seattle Partnership in helping them achieve their goals. Mary explained, “I am amazed that an organization exists to assist average citizens and impact change to this level.” They both encourage citizens of Seattle to “Get Involved!” To get involved with Cheasty Greenspace, attend one of their volunteer events posted on the Green Seattle website and the Friends of Cheasty Greenspace Facebook Group.

How do you audit a forest?

In 2004 the Green Seattle Partnership created a 20-year plan for how the city of Seattle, working with Cascade Land Conservancy and the community, could restore 2,500 acres of forested parklands by 2025. Now, five years later the program is conducting an “audit” of how the GSP is doing at its forest restoration. Seattle Urban Nature (SUN) is mapping and monitoring current restoration sites for species composition and percent cover. SUN is working with the GSP Forest Stewards and community partners to help identify the current work sites around the city, and check the different plant species for each site. Rory Denovan, Seattle Parks Plant Ecologist says,”We hope that we can learn some lessons from this audit, like what approaches are successful and what are not.” After this data is collected, Denovan says the Partnership will have a better idea of where and how to focus future restoration efforts.

According to the GSP 20-year plan, restoration sites should
work their way up the “tree-iage” scale to a forest that contains less and less invasive plants and more and more native plants. This monitoring is not only going to help make the restoration efforts more efficient, but also give a picture of current conditions at GSP sites and how
they are progressing towards a native plant dominated forest. SUN will be working throughout the summer to continue monitoring and mapping all of the GSP sites. Check out the SUN interactive habitat map to see what the composition of forest is near you!

Seattle Urban Nature has recently merged with EarthCorps
http://www.seattleurbannature.org/merger.html

Summer Youth Program

This summer GSP sites are being given some extra attention by youth employment and training programs from across the city. Over 200 students are spending some of their summer restoring our urban forests and learning about environmental issues facing our city.

Programs such as Student Conservation Association (SCA), Student Teen Employment Preparation (STEP), Youth Employment Service (YES), Goodwill, Families for Effective Autistic Treatment (FEAT) and Woodland Park Zoo are basing their training programs at Green Seattle sites.

Training in forest restoration includes: identifying and removing invasive plants, trail work and maintenance, mulching and other planting preparation. Some groups are also provided with educational programs with the naturalist from Seattle Parks and Recreation, learning about the ecological impact of their work on the community.

Participating groups are working at West Duwamish Greenbelt, Lewis Park, Madrona Park, Cheasty Greenspace, West Crest Park, Maple School Ravine, Ravenna Park, Woodland Park, Licton Springs and Meadowbrook.

In 2008 there were 60-70 students participating in
summer employment/training programs. This year there was an overwhelming amount of interest for the limited number of positions. As popularity increases the Green Seattle Partnership is looking at ways to expand and improve the program for next year.

Thank you to all of the students who are currently working out there.

2009 Progress

So far this year we have recorded 33,828 hours of volunteer work at 425 events and planted 40,470 plants at Green Seattle sites. Thank you to everyone
who has been out there helping us - especially to our
Forest Stewards who are helping to lead events at their sites.

To find out how to get involved, and help us get to our goal
of 88,000 volunteer hours in 2009, go to GREENSEATTLE.ORG.

Seafair is helping to restore Mt. Baker Park

Seafair is joining the Green Seattle Partnership for a restoration event on August 22 at Mt. Baker Park. Participants of Seafair and community members are
invited to join the restoration efforts.

Register today to get involved with this project to remove
invasive plants and help restore Mt. Baker to a sustainable
forested parkland. Register online today at www.greenseattle.org

Save the date: King County United Way Day of Caring Saturday, September 11, 2009

Get a group together or encourage your employer to support a work group for King County United Way Day of Caring. Green Seattle will be hosting groups in restoration in our forested parklands.

http://www.uwkc.org/volunteer/dayofcaring/default.asp

Save the date: National Public Lands Day- Saturday, September 26, 2009

Public Lands Day GSP will have sites at Delridge Natural Area, Yesler Creek headwaters and more. Check the website for more locations as the date approaches.

http://www.publiclandsday.org/

Save the date: Green Seattle Day: Saturday, November 7, 2009

Join Seattle’s declared kick-off to planting season with the Green Seattle Partnership. Locations across the city will be planting hundreds of trees in Seattle Parks.