In 2023, the Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) under the Washington Department of Ecology launched a new program focused on Environmental Justice in South King County. The Environmental Justice Pilot Program provides field crew support on environmental restoration and outdoor recreation enhancement projects that advance environmental justice goals. This support, provided by the WCC, is at no cost to the partner organization (City of Tukwila). The Green Tukwila Partnership applied for the grant waiver and was awarded ten weeks of service for Tukwila Park for 2023/2024 through WCC.
Green Tukwila Partnership (GTP) is a collaboration between environmental nonprofits, businesses, community groups, green training programs, and Tukwila residents to restore and maintain healthy green space and urban forests in the City of Tukwila. GTP’s 20-Year Stewardship Plan, adopted by the city in 2017, identifies 138 acres needing ecological restoration and maintenance. GTP has activated sites on creeks, streams, the Green-Duwamish River, and within the parks and trail system, a testament to the city and community’s unwavering commitment to environmental conservation.
Tukwila Park, the city’s oldest park, is a 6.5-acre urban forest teeming with Douglas Firs and Big Leaf Maples that founded the Tukwila Parks Department. This forest, a vital part of the city’s ecosystem, serves as a natural air filter, noise buffer, stormwater processor, and a cooling agent during heat waves. It’s a thriving habitat for numerous species, including songbirds, salamanders, owls, woodpeckers, raccoons, and other wildlife. However, for over 50 years, English Ivy and other invasive plants have threatened this precious forest, putting the tree canopy and overall ecosystem at risk.
The proposed project with WCC was to remove English ivy from the natural areas at Tukwila Park and preserve the mature tree canopy. The WCC crew of five AmeriCorps and their field supervisor immediately identified the issues at Tukwila Park. They prioritized preserving the 100-year-old canopy by cutting the ivy off the trees to ensure survival. Next, they started clearing the northwest corner of the park and worked up the slope to the front of the park. The parks department purchased plants, and in just ten weeks, the crew had removed ivy from 2.5 acres of the park, created sightlines for safety, and planted, mulched, and watered 536 native plants. This work has created space for a young forest and instilled hope for the future; native thimbleberry and snowberry are sprawling out into thickets across the forest floor. The new plants will replicate the biodiversity of the iconic Pacific Northwest Forest.
Upon completing the WCC’s 2023/2024 term, the field professionals presented a comprehensive lecture to Mayor McLeod, Kris Kelly, Interim Parks Director, and Parks and Recreation staff. The presentation, which culminated the WCC’s efforts, focused on the crucial role of healthy urban forests in the community and included a detailed five-year ecological restoration plan for Tukwila Park.
In July, Governor Jay Inslee, Mayor McLeod, and the WA Department of Ecology attended a meet-and-greet at Tukwila Park to celebrate the success of the WCC’s Environmental Justice Pilot Program and learn more about the work. Governor Jay Inslee’s presence and emphasis on the importance of the work being done by the Green Tukwila Partnership and the Washington Conservation Corps are testaments to the value and appreciation for these efforts.
The successful collaboration between the Washington Conservation Corps and the Green Tukwila Partnership is a testament to the power of collective action in environmental conservation. This partnership has achieved significant milestones in restoring and maintaining healthy green space in Tukwila Park, a feat that should inspire us all.
In June 2024, GTP was notified that the City of Tukwila had been awarded twelve weeks of service with the Washington Conservation Corps for 2024/2025 at Tukwila Park. This news sparked hope and excitement for the park’s future and the ongoing restoration efforts.
To learn more about:
The Green Tukwila Partnership or volunteer at a work party, visit www.Tukwilawa.gov/greentukwila follow us @GreenTukwila
Washington Conservation Corps: https://ecology.wa.gov/about-us/jobs-at-ecology/washington-conservation-corps
Written by Olena Perry, Stewardship Coordinator Green Tukwila Partnership, Tukwila Parks and Recreation