(WSB file photo from past Duwamish Alive! volunteering)

Are you ready to help along our area’s river and in its watershed? The spring’s biggest day of volunteering is getting close. Here’s the announcement of what’s planned:

A popular community Earth Day event, Duwamish Alive!, is restoring local native habitat on Saturday, April 21st, at 16 urban parks and open spaces to support the environmental health of the river and wildlife. Starting at 10:00 am, volunteers at multiple sites throughout the watershed will participate in a day of major cleanup and habitat restoration in the ongoing effort to keep our river alive and healthy for our communities, salmon and Puget Sound. The Green-Duwamish River is home to the critical Chinook salmon which the Southern Resident Killer Whales depend upon for food.

Duwamish Alive! is a collaborative stewardship effort of conservation groups, businesses, and government entities, recognizing that our collective efforts are needed to make lasting, positive improvements in the health and vitality of the Green-Duwamish Watershed. Twice a year these events organize hundreds of volunteers to work at multiple sites in the river’s watershed, connecting the efforts of communities from Seattle to Auburn. This year, Duwamish Alive is supporting Auburn City’s Clean Sweep event by helping restore habitat in Fenster Park along the Green-Duwamish River.

Volunteers’ efforts include a river cleanup by kayak, salmon habitat restoration, native forest revitalization, and creating the Delridge Wetlands outdoor classroom and bioswales for Louisa Boren STEM K-8.

A special visit from National Wildlife Federation’s Ranger Rick at Delridge Wetlands [5601 23rd SW] and Pigeon Point [20th SW/SW Genesee] for families is scheduled between 10:00 and 11:00, to thank youth volunteers for their efforts in helping local wildlife.

To volunteer, visit www.DuwamishAlive.org to see the different volunteer opportunities and RSVP to the
contact for the site of your choice, or email info@duwamishalive.org.

Opening Ceremonies
The day will open at T-107 [4700 W. Marginal Way SW, at 9:45 am] with a special welcome from the Duwamish Tribal Chair Cecile Hansen and Port Commissioner Courtney Gregoire speaking about the dramatic reduction of air pollution from maritime-related equipment in the greater Puget Sound region (Puget Sound Maritime Air Emissions Inventory, PSEI). Much of this is pollution that has affected Duwamish communities in the past. The latest results show that air pollutant emissions decreased by up to 97%, depending on the type, including a 69% reduction for fine particles that are harmful to human health. Steve Metruck, the Port of Seattle’s new Executive Director, will present about social equity and the EPA’s near port projects.

We covered the port’s announcement last month here.