This restoration of the shoreline helps Seattle Parks and Recreation meet commitments to advance their vision of Healthy People, Thriving Environment, and Vibrant Community. As the stewards of open spaces, shorelines, and healthy urban forests, the Seattle Parks and Recreation shoreline restoration project will help to slow stormwater, stabilize banks against storm surges and provide clean air and water by restoring diversity of vegetation. This also supports species such as salmon, pollinators and migrating birds while preserving people’s access to and a sense of safety around the water.
Sensitive lakeside ecosystems and beaches can be vulnerable without care. Please help Seattle Parks and Recreation think ahead and design resilient shorelines, equitable access, and ongoing care for the lakeside. Contribute ideas to the Lake Washington Engagement Hub.
The goals of the project are:
- Preserve and enhance healthy landscape and shoreline from Colman Beach to Seward Park, while enhancing local character. The project will restore native forests, drifts or patches of native vegetation to assist natural processes by using a diversity of species and types of plants.
- Promote neighborhood and community stewardship, volunteer opportunities and engagement in planning for, planting, and caring for the lakeside.
- Ensure safety by maintaining safe water access and maintenance of vegetation overgrowth. The project will balance access and safety with conservation of soil and water quality. *
- Protect and enhance wildlife habitat (e.g., Lakewood Wildlife Sanctuary near Lakewood Marina.)
- Foreground the area’s great abundance and variety of water, wooded hills, and distant mountains scenery with shoreline plantings. The project will frame views from within the Park property to mountains and the water in designated areas, particularly where benches and picnic tables are present as well as official viewpoints and public view such as the southern end of Andrews Bay and Seward Park beach.
- Future phases of restoration will restore and conserve a backdrop of native trees and healthy understory on the western (steep) slope of the Boulevard.
*Soft shoreline techniques can incorporate natural materials can assist natural processes. This includes planting native, deep-rooting and sun-loving plants and trees. Where planting is not sufficient to stop erosion, a bioengineering approach may be more appropriate. This includes a combination with natural materials such as logs, live stakes (e.g., cuttings from species like dogwood and willow), and brush bundles (i.e., branches from live woody plants), creating a natural appearance and habitat for fish and wildlife that also helps to hold soils and absorb wave energy.
A healthy vegetated shoreline cleans the air and protects the soil and serves as a sanctuary for people and wildlife. This promotes a diverse marine environment that contributes to the health of people and more-than-human communities that rely on Lake Washington and Puget Sound ecosystems.
Learn more about the larger effort by visiting the Lake Washington Boulevard Renovations Project homepage.
Let’s focus on engagement of local student populations (local schools) to handle some of the work. Perhaps even some sort of course materials could be developed. Topics would include native ecology, developmental impact on forest ecology, social justice and parks, etc. (As well as a tie in with Youth Ambassadors?)
One concern I have is west slope areas. I think these are the most important as there is more work to be done.
I know the policy is no volunteer work on steep slopes but is there a way to manage some of those areas with a combination of contractors or specific/limited exceptions? Maybe those volunteers willingly commit to some commercial certification or commit to a number of hours to allow for the purchase of insurance for those individuals? In any case, even if the work isn’t being done, even if it’s in 2-3 years until work might begin, this needs to be discussed seriously.
Thanks for your thoughts, Elias. Feel free to input these ideas into the Engagement Hub, which is where the City is collecting input https://engage.seattleparksandrec.com/en/projects/lake-washington-boulevard.
Splendid ideas about working with students and schools! Please let us know if you know any willing principals and teachers. While may not be much of a community stewardship presence on the lakeside now, we are talking with a few of the local environmental organizations about hosting community-powered restoration events in 2024.
As for the west slopes, we do have the priviledge of working with some talented restoration crews who employ best practices for working in Environmentally Critical Areas. Look forward to future phases of the Boulevard restorations….. I agree, in some areas the crews can do some of the “heavy lifting” and then perhaps some flatter and safer spots could then be appropriate for volunteers to care for.
Following up on Elias comments. What is GSP’s plan for maintenance in those steep slope areas if volunteers are not allowed? Are there plans and funds in this project to maintain the sloped areas beyond the initial clearing?
In the park I am familiar with the steep sloops cleared by the professional crews are not maintained and in few years are just as overgrown as before.
James, I am unsure about your expectations for maintenance of steep slopes. But, we do have a process to return to sites when resources allow among all the competing citywide priorities. Volunteers work in coordination with Seattle Parks and Recreation to form a mutually agreeable workplan. Community members should not actively work on steep slope areas, particularly with power equipment.
I am delighted to hear about this project that is long overdue. Listen to the native peoples who used to steward this land; they listened to the land.
I would love to help if I was younger.
A native habitat edge for migrating adults to spawn and the young returning to the ocean along both public and private shore frontage would be ideal.
Long range remove automobile traffic and let Lake Washington Blvd. to major promenade ( ie: Seward Park shoreline walkway) that can accommodate a wide variety of people powered transportation. There are ways to access boat launch and other special uses. Impact of Sea Fair may need to be revisited including the Blue Angles….think of all the hydrocarbons and the costs, yes it is exciting, but so are the sounds of birds songs .
Lake Washington Blvd along Leschi and Madrona deserves attention as well. It is a gift from the past that is neglected and needs care for both people and the natural environment. Thanks
Thanks for this input, Sally. Some Seattle Parks and Recreation staff met with Leschi Community Council last week, and we will be generating a list of priorities. If you have specific spots in mind in the larger Leschi-Madrona area, please feel free to email me directly. Thanks, Michael Yadrick | michael.yadrick@seattle.gov
Thank you for your work and consideration on this important project. I agree with the previous commenter on working with the native peoples and listening to the land. Makes so much sense.
I would like to see bullet point #6 move way up the list! Here’s an enthusiastic third to Buster’s comments above; indeed, the salmon is our canary (thanks again, Buster). Yes also to the comments supporting initial and ongoing inclusion of input from original inhabitants.
I am curious to know if the January 2021 Lake Washington Boulevard Vegetation Management Plan will be changed or updated for this project. This Seattle Parks and Recreation 124 page plan was the result of a major public process, and is worth reviewing in detail.
The Lake Washington Boulevard parkland, especially the North mile between Stanley Sayres Memorial Park and Mt. Baker Beach Park is some of the most prime waterfront in the Seattle Parks’ inventory. In the interest of preserving and enhancing this park, it is essential that the trend of higher volumes and speeds of vehicles using this corridor be reversed, and the programmed motor vehicle closures (eg. Bicycle Weekends) be significantly increased.
The Vegetation Management Plan has been instrumental in the design of the lakeside revegetation. There are currently no plans to update the plan. Feel free to email me with more specific questions about the VMP.
Please submit your cooments about vehicular speeds, closures, etc. to the Engagement Hub. That is the portal where the City is collecting the overall comments and neighborhood perspectives.
I suggest including a link to this VMP in your PR pieces to allow people who want more detail to better understand the underlying objectives.
So glad this is finally happening! The blackberry has literally taken over most of this area which could be so beautiful again! Comments: 1). the placement of logs to prevent erosion is genius! Suggest some logs placed perpendicular to the shore like in an alpine lake. 2). Need to develop better water access below Angeline and Alaska streets. Many kayaks and paddle boarders trying to access, but not enough room or blocked by vegetation. Need defined access trails and steps to water. 3). Need to preserve access to newly exposed beach areas south of Ferdinand now that the weeds are gone. Don’t block access with new plantings. 4). Replace the street trees that are being removed along the Boulevard!! So many have been removed but not replaced. Can you provide a timeline for this? 5). Need summer Sanicans in parking lots (Ferdinand and at the point North of the marina). There is heavy usage of these areas, with no alternative to people using the lake or trees to relieve themselves. 6). Insure a budget for permanent weed control – Cut blackberry vines will return quickly. 7). Need some substantial shade trees added to picnic areas. I think increasing tree canopy out-weighs view issues. 8). I’m willing to volunteer for work parties. Please contact me. Thank you!
I am thrilled to see more work planned for restoring the shoreline and improving access! Lake Washington Blvd is one of the premier water access areas in the city with a variety of wildlife watching, fishing, boating/floating, and swimming opportunities. I am glad to see priorities are being balanced across habitat for people and critters. We are lucky to have such amazing access to nature right here in the city.
Please consider restoring and widening the “lower” trail along the north mile from Stan Sayers to Mt Baker Beach. This trail is preferred by many in the community because it provides a refuge from the speeding drivers on the street and the bumpy path while also being more “rustic” and closer to the water. However it is heavily eroded in many places and quite dangerous as a result. I am not saying we need pavement or even gravel. Just some reinforcement of the existing path would go a long way and protect the lakeshore from erosion in the longer term.
Please add me to any volunteer mailing list when available.
It’s great to hear this is in the works. I would love to see lots of evergreen blueberry and huckleberry planted. Now that most of the blackberry has been removed from the parks, these plants would give people and birds the opportunity to forage for berries, and add some year-round green shrubbery. It would also be nice to see some Western serviceberry and Viking Aronia chokeberry, which would add some great fall color.
In general, it would be beautiful to have a lot more plants and trees along the lakeside parks that add year-round interest, contrasting colors, and attract birds and butterflies. How about some red-osier dogwood, Western burning bush and shrubby cinquefoils?
Thanks for this feedback, Liz! Would you mind emailing me directly? Michael Yadrick | michael.yadrick@seattle.gov
Some of those plants are included, but I have some questions about the common names you used so we are on the same page. We have a draft plant list to share, and we are actively moving forward with acquisition of the plants.
Please include a plan and funding for long-term maintenance of all the great ideas for improvements. After SPR renovated the children’s beach at the Madrona Dance Studio about 10 years ago, their plan for cleanup and renovations was “shelved” in 2019. Please don’t spoil the beauty of the LWB parks natural beauty with amenities the Parks Department can’t afford to maintain.
Great to hear about this project, Michael. Imagine if we put the kind of money into this waterfront, Seattle’s “second waterfront,” as is going into projects on the Elliot Bay waterfront.
One thing that hasn’t been mentioned in these comments is the number of boats mooring in Andrew’s Bay in the summer–there is substantial noise and air pollution associated with these boats (and probably water pollution too), and they undoubtedly impact wildlife using the bay. Andrew’s Bay is one of the few (or only) naturalistic bays left on Lake Washington. It would make sense to close this area as an anchorage, and move the boats somewhere else–perhaps even to the bay south of the Bailey Peninsula if it is essential to have an anchorage near Seward Park. Andrew’s Bay could be designated as a wildlife refuge or critical wildlife area.
Another idea that has been proposed, but not here, is to create some sort of boardwalk, integrated into the native vegetation around Andrew’s bay, to facilitate wildlife viewing and keep people away from the high speed traffic along the current sidewalk which has no buffer between it and the street.
One thing that will probably need to happen with this restoration too, is the removal of construction debris that has been dumped in shallow water at many of the boat ramps and parking lots over the years (think old bricks, concrete blocks, etc.).
I am so excited to see all the work done along Seward Park shoreline to clean up the blackberries and make the areas more pristine and natural. But the concern I have is paramount to sustaining the beauty that is experienced as you walk and travel along this corridor. A mid section on the western shore of Bailey Peninsula along Seward Parks walking path was re-vegetated with Willows and Dogwood trees, which consequently, in the last 10-15 years has completely obscured the access and view of the lake as you walk that section of the park path. Martha, Washington Park, just south of Sewards shoreline was fully re-vegetated , it used to be the most wonderful park to visit- so quiet and all the beach area was easily accessible now when you go to that park, you can’t even see the water and you barely can access it, a huge downgrade from a human enjoyment standpoint, I will assume the same fate will fall on our Seward Park shorelines unbeknownst of our good intentions…
Thanks for your comments, Jason. I hear you are excited to see the work being done to make the areas for pristine and natural, but also access to the water is something you value. Right? We intend to strike a balance between access while also managing the shoreline for a variety of benefits. We have uncovered some hotspots of erosion as crews removed blackberry – long term vegetatative cover is part of the solution to mitigate the loss of land to the fluctuating lake levels and wave action. Too, some previous work was funded by and meant to favor salmon recovery. While much of the Lake Washington shoreline has been developed, parks provide valuable natural shoreline for migrating salmon and enhancing water quality. There should be few to no view obstructions near benches and picnic tables, and we tried to respect the smallier, informal access points and gathering places too. There are also a handful of viewpoint or public views outlined in the LWB Vegetation Management Plan and Seattle Municipal Code. As we inspect the new planting areas, I will keep an eye out for some of the issues you mention. Feel free to reach out directly about specific spots.
The shoreline erosion issue is entirely due to the summer lake level being allowed to exceed its normal level last year- it was well over its high mark last summer for a long period of time. I observed a lot of shoreline being washed away during this period. My understanding is the Army Core of Engineers is responsible for maintaining the lake level by allowing the water to be dispersed through the locks. This is a serious issue as many peoples properties and Park properties were heavily damaged by the high water level. I have never seen it that high ever for the long period of time I’ve lived in this area and interacted on the shoreline. This is a huge liability issue for whatever agency is in charge of maintaining lake level. When I was witnessing this, I didn’t know who to call. Michael, could you check on this issue and the liability to ensure that this doesn’t happen again.
I’m so glad this is finally happening. South Seattle parks have been almost completely without maintenance for many decades, which reflects poorly on the city for obvious reasons. Ok I’ll say it anyway—not only are these parks located in the most underserved and correspondingly the most racially diverse areas of the city (or vice versa), but they are actually some of the most heavily trafficked parks in Seattle. Also the Blvd and Seward park were pet projects of the Olmsted company because they are an exposition of remnants of the beautiful landscape that was here before us, and as such they deserve special maintenance.
I’ve tried to make some rough calculations of the square footage of park space already lost from erosion and while I don’t know exactly what the shoreline looked like 100 years ago I’m certain Blvd park was originally much bigger than it is now. Lowering the lake suddenly exposed new soil more vulnerable to erosion without native vegetation to keep it in place, and when a sudden change is made to a habitat that has been forming over like millions of years it often needs special attention to keep it from, in this case literally, falling apart, There’s got to be at least a mile and a half of eroding shoreline, which I believe adds up to approx 8000 sq ft of park space lost per foot of erosion. I can’t even guess the number of feet of erosion.
Are there any plans to try to actually restore some of the shoreline already lost?
I’d also love to see some followthrough in the plans posted on the (graffiti covered and dilapidated) info boards in genesee park’s “meadow”, which has been largely overrun by blackberry bushes.