Seattle’s biggest forest helps heal its most polluted waterway
PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release: Sept 26, 2011
SEATTLE – It’s no small matter that Seattle’s largest forest, the West Duwamish Greenbelt, happens to be next to the city’s only river and one of the most polluted rivers in the country. Extending over 500 acres in West Seattle, the greenbelt plays a critical role in filtering the air and water pollution in the Duwamish River created by urban runoff and industrial waste.
On October 15th, hundreds of volunteers will come together in a day of service in an ongoing effort to help keep Seattle’s only river alive. Cleanup and restoration events will take place at 12 sites along the Duwamish River, both in the water and on the shore, as part of Duwamish Alive, a biannual day of service organized by the Duwamish Alive Coalition.
The coalition is a partnership between community, government, nonprofit, and corporate organizations working together to restore habitat in the Duwamish. The largest event of the day will be held in the West Duwamish Greenbelt, where co-host organizations Nature Consortium and EarthCorps are expecting 200 volunteers.
Healthy watersheds make healthy rivers. But like many urban forests, the West Duwamish Greenbelt has suffered the effects of logging, invasive species, urbanization, and loss of biodiversity. That’s why Nature Consortium is committed to restoring the greenbelt to the kind of healthy evergreen forest the Pacific Northwest is known for.
“People come to Seattle because they love the outdoors,” says Restoration Director Lili Allala. “We have hundreds of acres of parks, and yet we also have one of the most polluted rivers in the nation. As one of the greenest cities in the nation we have a responsibility to keep this river alive, and to do that we have to take care of our forests.”
According to a study by the Corporation for National and Community Service, Seattle also ranks fourth nationwide in volunteering. Between 2008 and 2010, 930,300 volunteers in the greater Seattle area donated a total of 120.7 million hours of service.
Nature Consortium works with volunteers year-round to plant trees and other native plants in the West Duwamish Greenbelt while removing invasive plants like Himalayan blackberry that prevent native plants from thriving. These trees provide the pollution-filtering power that makes this forest a crucial resource.
To combat pollution and restore habitat in the Duwamish, volunteers can pitch in at any of 12 sites along the river including the West Duwamish Greenbelt, Codiga Farm, and Herring’s House Park. Activities include a river cleanup by kayak, shoreline salmon restoration, and native forest revitalization.
To register or for more information about Duwamish Alive, visit www.duwamishalive.org or email contact@duwamishalive.org.
About Nature Consortium:
West Seattle-based Nature Consortium is a nonprofit working to connect people, arts, and nature. They are committed to creating community by inspiring a love for the arts and a connection to the environment. Programs include a volunteer forest restoration project, free eco-themed art classes for youth, and the Arts in Nature Festival. For more information or to volunteer or donate, visit www.naturec.org.
About Duwamish Alive Coalition:
Duwamish Alive collaborates with community, municipalities, non-profits and businesses within the Duwamish River watershed to preserve and enhance habitat for people and wildlife, towards improving the health of Puget Sound. Restoration is on-going throughout the year, but it’s only during Duwamish Alive that our organizations come together to host hundreds of volunteers at multiple sites to make a huge impact on the same day. www.duwamishalive.org
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Contact: Monica Thomas, Outreach & Media Coordinator monica@naturec.org