Duwamish Gardens Dedication

Beginning at 9:00 a.m. the Duwamish Gardens Project, located at 11269 East Marginal Way South, will be recognized as a salmon habitat restoration site and public park.    The site provides critical shallow water habitat essential to the survival of juvenile salmon. The park likes within the transition zone, where marine water mixes with fresh water.   Spending time in brackish water is critical for young salmon to make the physiological changes necessary to live in salt water as they migrate to Puget Sound.   Interpretive signs and art work tell the story of people who lived on and around the site, including Native Americans who made the river home for millennia, and share the importance of undertaking habitat projects. Mike Perfetti, City of Tukwila Habitat Project Manager, said “Duwamish Gardens provides nearly an acre of shallow water habitat for salmon where they can feed on insects and invertebrates that live among the vegetation, and in the mud and beneath stones.     The park gives Tukwila residents and visitors throughout the region a place to access and appreciate the hidden beauty and potential of this important urban river.   People can launch a kayak, raft, or canoe, or walk the shoreline trail with outstanding views of the river and beautiful surrounding hills.”   Funding partners for this project include King Conservation District, King County Flood Control District, Puget Sound Partnership, Salmon Recovery Funding Board, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO), and WRIA 9:   Green/Duwamish and Central Puget Sound Watershed.     Note, the naming process for this park is not yet complete, the temporary name for references is Duwamish Gardens Project.

Following the Duwamish Gardens Project dedication, the City of Tukwila will  recognize  another project at Duwamish Hill Preserve.   The Duwamish Hill Preserve Phase II dedication will begin at 10:00 a.m. and is a quick walk across the street from Duwamish Gardens.

May 13^th is also the 17^th annual Backyard Wildlife Festival, held at the Tukwila Community Center.   The festival offers a full day of gardening experts, speakers, education exhibitors, arts and craft vendors, and a fine arts show.   Attendees will leave feeling inspired to create backyard wildlife environments that will supports bees, butterflies, and native birds.   For more information: www.backyardwildlifefestival.org

A shuttle bus will be providing transportation between the Tukwila Community Center and the dedication events beginning at 8:15 a.m. through 11:15 a.m.   For more information, please call 206-767-2342.