UPDATE 2: Plant trees at Duwamish Alive! OCT 20; SPU students helped clean up West Seattle and White Center parks
UPDATE 2: Plant trees at Duwamish Alive! OCT 20; SPU students helped clean up West Seattle and White Center parks
Seattle Pacific University freshmen and transfer students helped clean up parks & natural lands in West Seattle and White Center on Sept. 22 as part of the university's CityQuest community service orientation that took place in 30 city-wide sites. Pictured top, kids clear blackberry bushes the Longfellow Creek Watershed. Pictured bellow are students clearing brush behind Pathfinder School in the Duwamish Greenbelt. On OCT 20, the Duwamish Alive! event will have volunteers enhance habitat.
Photos by Steve Shay
Wed, 09/19/2012
UPDATE; Saturday, SEPT. 22:
Over 750 Seattle Pacific University freshmen and transfer students spread out across the Seattle area Saturday, Sept. 22, for their annual CityQuest community service orientation, experience their first day of college off campus fixing up houses, removing graffiti, cleaning up parks, and other outdoor activities.
Included on the cleanup list were Lincoln Park, the West Duwamish Greenbelt behind Pathfinder School, the Longfellow Creek Watershed at S.W. Brandon St. and 29th Ave S.W., and Lakewood Park/Hicks Lake in White Center.
Lizzie and Adam Jackson, who happen to be married, are Delridge residents, and each headed a group of about 15 students in separate West Seattle sites. Lizzie's group was in the Duwamish Greenbelt behind Pathfinder School.
Lizzie is Restoration and Education Coordinator for the Nature Consortium, located in the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Way SW. Her group was clearing brush around previously planted native trees.
Adam's group was clearing blackberry bushes from the Longfellow Creek Watershed. He is Volunteer Program Coordinator with the Renton-based King Conservation District, which is not a part of the county, but is a special purpose district which exists to help landowners manage natural resources on their properties.
"The nature Consortium has a 100-year plan for that greenbelt area behind Pathfinder," said SPU Urban Program Coordinator Owen Sallee, who toured the sites Saturday. "Seattle Pacific University is excited with the native planting there. It's a great model for students as the project is a long-term vision that they can return to see."
Correction: SPU students cleared brush behind Pathfinder School but did not plant trees as we previously reported.
According to the Nature Consortium:
"Planting season doesn't start until October and we won't be doing any plantings until October 20 at our Duwamish Alive event. We wait until the fall rains start so the new plants can get the water they need to establish and grow.
"We are hoping to attract a large group of volunteers for our Duwamish Alive event, as it will be our first planting day of the season and a large coordinated effort with numerous nonprofits around the city."
