DNDA and Greenbelt History at Log House Museum

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West Seattle’s historic Log House Museum recently launched a new exhibit that focuses on the West Duwamish Greenbelt and includes a healthy dose of DNDA history.  

The West Duwamish Greenbelt, Seattle’s largest contiguous forest, covers over 500 acres and spans more than four miles along the Duwamish peninsula. Its ridges, creeks, and river formed over thousands of years and sustain a diverse habitat for wildlife. Coast Salish people have lived among and harvested from its forests and waterways for thousands of years. 

 Beginning in the 1850s, as the city evolved from industry, so too did this forest. Despite intense urbanization, many have fought for its preservation. This collaborative exhibit considers the future of the greenbelt and explores its history.  

Included in this history is a commemoration of the work done for more than a decade by the non-profit Nature Consortium, until its merger with DNDA in 2015. Nature Consortium was founded by local resident Nancy Whitlock and in 2003 began to advocate for preservation of a portion of the greenbelt that was proposed to be sold and developed into a tract of single-family homes. That same year, Nature Consortium also launched its Urban Forest Restoration Program, working in sites throughout the greenbelt, including Pigeon Point Park, Riverview, and Soundway.  

 In 2015, the organization merged with DNDA, and some of DNDA’s longest-tenured staff began at Nature Consortium — including our current Arts Program Director Yeggy Michael and Environmental Programs Director Caroline Borsenik. DNDA’s forest restoration work today represents the continuation of more than two decades of commitment to the greenbelt.  

The “Seattle’s Forest: the West Duwamish Greenbelt” exhibit is a partnership with the West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails Group and is supported by the Duwamish Tribe and the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. 

 The exhibition officially opened in September with a reception at the Log House Museum. The museum is open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays from 12-4pm. Admission is always free. 

Interested in participating in DNDA’s restoration projects in the West Duwamish Greenbelt and elsewhere? Check out our calendar at www.dnda.org/nature  

 

• Written by DNDA Restoration Program Manager Ben Antonius