You can help: Revegetate Schmitz Park at ground level

(That’s Schmitz Park in the center of pilot/photographer Long Bach Nguyen‘s 2012 image)
From above, it’s an oasis of unbroken lush green. At ground level, parts of Schmitz Preserve Park need help – and that means you. Shared by Seattle Parks:

Seattle Parks and Recreation is undertaking a project to revegetate damaged areas in the Schmitz Preserve stream corridor. Activities will include planting native plants, erosion control and fencing off redundant foot trails that crisscross Schmitz Creek. The project will help conserve one of Seattle’s rare old-growth forests while supporting the overall environmental stewardship goals of the urban forest system. Schmitz Preserve Park is located in West Seattle at 5551 SW Admiral Way.

Friends of Schmitz Preserve, a group of dedicated community members, are key partners in this preservation and restoration project in the park.

These stewards host volunteer events every 1st Sunday of the month, from 1 – 4 p.m. The community is encouraged to participate. For more information please visit www.schmitzpreserve.org or meet at Schmitz Park Elementary at 1 p.m. this Sunday, October 6, 2013. These monthly work parties are essential for the health and longevity of this important public asset.

Seattle is at risk of losing 70% of Seattle’s forested parks in just 20 years. Together, Seattle Parks and volunteers have been working to reverse that trend. Seattle’s forested parkland covers nearly six percent of the Seattle’s metropolitan area and comprises 20% of the Seattle’s overall urban forest canopy. The forest plays an important role in protecting air and water quality. The Green Seattle Partnership is a one of the largest public-private forest urban restoration programs in the United States.

For more information please visit www.greenseattle.org or contact Michael Yadrick, Parks Natural Resources Unit Plant Ecologist at 206-423-1608 or michael.yadrick@seattle.gov.

7 Replies to "You can help: Revegetate Schmitz Park at ground level"

  • anonyme October 1, 2013 (2:36 pm)

    This will do little good unless and until the issue of off-leash dogs and other illegal uses of the park and trails (such as the ATV’s reported recently) are addressed. It’s a shame, as Schmitz Park is an oasis of old-growth ecosystem – one of the few remaining.

  • MB October 1, 2013 (4:18 pm)

    Anonyme- this is a step in the direction of addressing some of those issues. It’s not an attempt to fix every issue but its still a positive move.

  • Junction mom October 1, 2013 (6:29 pm)

    WSB – there’s nothing on either noted website about this event. Do they know they’re working in the park on Sunday?

  • Junction Mom October 2, 2013 (8:43 am)

    Thank you!

  • Nanette October 3, 2013 (7:54 am)

    Is the event Saturday the 5th or Sunday the 6th?

    • WSB October 3, 2013 (8:14 am)

      Good catch. There are two references to Sunday, so my bet is Sunday 10/6, but I will contact the Parks employee who sent the news release.

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