Good golly, check out 12th & Holly!
We have been incredibly busy in the Greenbelt, especially over on SW Holly St. between 12th Ave. and 14th Ave. We currently have a full-time crew of folks from Seattle Youth Employment Program working with us, and they have been blazing through the Himalayan blackberry at the corner of 12th and Holly. So far they have cleared over 12,000 sq.ft. of blackberry in the area! They have also put hundreds of plants in the ground as the end of the planting season approaches with the warm, dry, spring weather (sunny and in the high 50s all week!). Perhaps you have noticed the color appearing in the Greenbelt as the cherry trees blossom and early risers like Indian plum wake up from a sleepy winter.
If you have taken a stroll down Holly St. in the past week or so, you will have noticed all the new shrubs we’ve put in the ground in an effort to have more plant density and to discourage people from using our restoration site as a dumping ground or a dirt bike track. I know it’s a hard to wish for rain when it’s gorgeous out, but these little plants could sure use it. Several neighbors have noticed our hard work and have approached us with questions and compliments. I know that some people will miss the blackberries in the summer, but soon there will be thimbleberries to feast on and a diversity of (thornless) plants to enjoy! And I know all of the other creatures in the Greenbelt will appreciate our efforts as we restore their habitat. If you see us working, please come and say hi and meet our crew! Better yet, come join us between 8am and 4pm on nearly any weekday (go to www.naturec.org/restoration.htm for exact dates), or on Saturdays from 10am to 2pm!
