It was exciting for Squad to be the first stewardship crew working on a new restoration site. The City's recently inaugurated Green Tukwila Partnership is cultivating community volunteer Forest Stewards to take the lead on restoration sites of various sizes around town, and yours truly is proud to be the program's first Forest Steward. Nestled in an old neighborhood, this tributary of Riverton Creek provides rich opportunities for restoration that can benefit the community and also salmon downstream.
Squad has had the good fortune to work with Sound Stewards at Codiga Park and North Wind's Weir. It is wonderful to see the community stewardship model expanding, such as modeled by the great group of neighbors who steward the Duwamish Hill Preserve, where we also enjoy working.
The charming creek curving through the half-parcel is thickly laden with noxious weeds, including blackberry, ivy, laurel, holly and an ominous patch of Japanese knotweed / Polygonum cuspidatum (more detailed information booklet here). Despite our preferences for organic methods, this species requires targeted herbicide injection performed by trained operators.
I am working on a masterplan for the site that will outline circulation options, restoration strategies and possible nature-play opportunities for children; as well as working with the City to identify resources. We look forward to watching this site develop from the very beginning!