DNDA’s Nature team spends most days outside, rain or shine, with community members and students as a part of our Urban Forest Restoration Program. Our team leads restoration volunteer groups at about a dozen urban forest sites across the West Duwamish Greenbelt — the largest contiguous forest in Seattle — and Longfellow Creek Watershed through the Green Seattle Partnership. Community and youth volunteers of all backgrounds help by removing invasive plant species, planting native trees and shrubs, and much more. DNDA also hosts corporate groups looking to give back to community and bond as a team. 

When they are not outside, the Nature team plans hands-on lessons for elementary students to learn about environmental science. Our educators work with teachers to coordinate classroom visits and forest restoration field trips to local natural areas. DNDA’s Nature team spearheaded a years-long effort to restore and preserve Delridge Wetland Park — a now public park maintained by DNDA — which includes an outdoor classroom for youth to learn environmental stewardship.