The blog is taking a mini-break to accommodate some travel, but do enjoy a few photos courtesy of generous guest-photographers who captured Squad's latest stewardship at one of our regular sites, White Center Heights Park, hosted by King County Parks. The weather was extremely soggy but rain is good transplanting weather. We love this park and look forward to coming back, you can read more about it in posts tagged for this park. .
Potting Up Native Mock Orange in the Mountains to Sound Greenway Nursery.
The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust has hosted the Homeschool Stewardship Squad since our early inception. Their covered potting area is an extra deluxe feature in winter and on this occasional we were particularly grateful during the deluge.
Many a bare root mock orange / Philadelphus lewisii were potted up to develop in the nursery for a year before being planted by volunteers out in the Greenway, which stretches from Puget Sound, along I-90 up into the Cascade Mountains. Having numerous friendly, helpful AmeriCorps crew members was terrific.
Look out for more events with the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, especially in the summertime when we swim after working!
Native Planting along the Burke-Gilman Trail.
Squad had a beautiful work day planting native species along the Burke-Gilman Trail in Seattle's View Ridge neighborhood. Nearby neighbors have worked hard for many years making significant ecological improvements to the forest strips along the heavily-trafficked pathway. Many a passerby stopped to chat about the restoration work and to happily thank us for volunteering.
The Burke-Gilman is a rails to trails path along which coal used to be transported from local mines, among other goods. Now, eager Forest Stewards supported by the Green Seattle Partnership spearhead restoration efforts of their choosing, often near their own homes.
This portion of the trail is recovering from ivy / Hedera helix infestation, the seedlings of which can easily be found in the duff- spread by bird droppings due to the berries having been eaten. We look forward to returning to this site to contribute to the effort!
Groundbreaking a New Restoration Site for Riverton Creek.
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!
Carkeek Park Ivy Removal & Salmon Viewing.
In true November fashion it was quite soggy & rainy at Carkeek Park. The kids made the most of it by thoroughly enjoying the mud from head to toe. In between slipping and sliding we pulled and clipped noxious ivy out of a thick patch in the forest.
Fortunately we had a salmon steward alongside some friendly Forest Stewards from the Green Seattle Partnership. We got a good look at some large specimens in Piper's Creek and of course enjoyed the playground as well.
Perhaps summer 2018 we may come back for one of our annual swim and stewardship events!