An annual effort to help keep the St. Mark’s Greenbelt green will mark its 10th year this weekend and you’re invited to volunteer to be part of it.
Green Seattle Day 2015 will organizer volunteers at 14 locations in the city “for a fun morning of urban forest restoration.” As we found out when we first visited one of the restoration parties way back in 2009, it’s also a lot of work.
The St. Mark’s crew headed by longtime chief Robert Hayden already had 26 of its 30 volunteer slots filled as of Monday night but you can also register to help at any of the other Seattle parks and green spaces.
More information on the event and signing up to help is below.
Calling all volunteers for a fun morning of urban forest restoration at Green Seattle Day at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7. The 10th annual Green Seattle Day kicks off planting season with more than 10,000 plants ready for volunteers to put in the ground at 15 parks across Seattle. Green Seattle Day is a great opportunity to connect with nature and celebrate the dedication of thousands of volunteers working with Green Seattle Partnership throughout the year to restore over 2,500 acres of forested parkland.
Green Seattle Partnership earned Forterra’s Game Changer Award earlier this year for its decade-long dedicated service to restoring Seattle’s forested parks and natural areas. Since 2005, the Partnership has enrolled 1,232 acres into restoration and has planted 619,000 native trees, shrubs and groundcovers. Forest Stewards and thousands of volunteers have worked over 781,000 hours. As Green Seattle Partnership completes its tenth year of on-the-ground restoration efforts, the Partnership is collecting input and evaluating the program to update the 20-Year Strategic Plan that will guide the program for the next 10 years.
Access to healthy parks and urban trees is vital to our City and quality of life. “The support and enthusiasm for these events clearly demonstrate that building community and building healthy forests go hand in hand; you can’t have one without the other. Volunteers are such a crucial part of the positive transformation that is happening in Green Cities across the region,” said Joanna Nelson de Flores, Forterra Green Cities Program director.
Last year at Green Seattle Day, more than 800 people volunteered to make Seattle a greener place. Past participant Michelle Blanchard noted, “I learned so much today, I can’t thank you enough. I lived in Wedgwood for years, my 11 year old puppy grew up there, and I am a UW grad, so Magnuson holds a special place in my heart. I truly enjoyed the fact that you recognized that our contribution meant something that we can refer to for years to come!”
Rainier Community Center, 4600 38th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118 is the official hub for this year’s Green Seattle Day. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. and the celebration begins at 9 a.m. There will be limited free t-shirts for volunteers at the hub site, so get there early. After a brief welcome at the community center, buses will bring volunteers to six restoration projects in Southeast Seattle – Genesee Park, Cheasty Greenspace Mt. View, Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetland, Maple Wood Playfield, East Duwamish Greensbelt and Seward Park. Return by bus to Rainier Community Center to enjoy a delicious free lunch, prizes, and hang out with your fellow volunteers.
In addition to the hub site, Green Seattle Day restoration activities will also take place at the Burke-Gilman Trail, Discovery Park, Jackson Park, Leschi Park, Lincoln Park, Peppi’s Woods, St. Mark’s Greenbelt, West Duwamish Greenbelt and Woodland Park.
All are welcome and no experience is necessary. Tools will be provided as well as instruction on how to plant trees properly to ensure a long and healthy life—an excellent learning experience for kids and aspiring gardeners alike. Advanced registration is required at www.greenseattle.org
Green Seattle Day is part of the fall Green City Days series, which is expected to attract more than 2,000 participants from across the Puget Sound region. Green Tacoma Day kicked off the series on October 10, followed by Green Everett Day on October 17, Green Kent Day on October 24, Green Redmond Day on October 31, Green Seattle Day on November 7, Green Kirkland Day and Green Puyallup Day on November 14.
Eight Cities including Kent, Everett, Kirkland, Redmond, Seattle, Tacoma, Tukwila and Puyallup make up the Green Cities Network, collectively working to restore and maintain over 7,500 acres of publicly owned urban natural areas and forests. People can learn more about Green City Partnerships and Forterra at www.forterra.org/greencities.
About Green Seattle Partnership
The Green Seattle Partnership is a collaborative effort between the City of Seattle, Forterra, and an amazing community of volunteers, non-profit organizations, schools, and businesses working together to create a sustainable network of healthy forested parkland throughout Seattle. Launched in 2005, the goal of the Partnership is to restore all 2,500 acres of forested parkland across Seattle by 2025.
