State to help Tukwila restore urban forests

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources is helping restore degraded urban forests in Tukwila.

In January, a Washington Conservation Corps team will tackle two environmental restoration project sites in Tukwila - Cottage Creek and the Duwamish River, according to a city media release.

Cottage Creek is adjacent to Tukwila City Hall. The Cottage Creek project is an ongoing urban forestry/stream habitat restoration project that the city has been working on with the help of many community volunteers, including the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

The Duwamish River project – the “Restore the Duwamish Shoreline Challenge” is being carried out with several partners including BECU (Boeing Employees Credit Union), Forterra, local businesses and community volunteers to restore degraded shoreline vegetation and improve the urban forest, water quality and habitat for fish and wildlife along the Duwamish River and the Green River Trail.

The Washington Conservation Corps team will remove invasive plants such as English ivy and blackberry and plant native trees, shrubs and ground cover along the water’s edge and on steep banks. Installation of native plants will improve the health of these areas of our urban forest, while also improving water quality and providing good habitat for fish and wildlife.

The Conservation Corps is being provided to Tukwila through the Urban Forestry Restoration Project, which is administered by the state Department of Natural Resources Urban and Community Forestry Program (DNR). This is an exciting opportunity to help Tukwila enhance the capacity of its urban forests to improve stormwater management, air and water quality, and for urban wildlife and fish, especially salmon.

“We appreciate the assistance of the DNR Urban Forestry Restoration Project," said Jack Pace, director of the city’s Department of Community Development. "This will improve the city’s urban forest health and restore important salmon habitat on one of our streams and along the river,”

The city of Tukwila welcomes the assistance of volunteers with these projects and the many other restoration projects. To learn more about how you can help keep Cottage Creek and the Duwamish River shoreline urban forests healthy in the future, contact the city’s Volunteer Coordinator, Tracy Gallaway at 206-768-2822 or see the Duwamish Shoreline Restoration Challenge website for announcements of upcoming volunteer work parties at www.restoretheduwamish.org. Or you may call Forterra at 206-905-6931.

For more information about the Department of Natural Resources Urban Forestry Restoration Project, visit the project online or contact Micki McNaughton at 360-902-1637 or micki.mcnaughton@dnr.wa.gov. The Washington State Urban and Community Forestry Program is made possible through a partnership with the USDA Forest Service.

Contact Tukwila Reporter Reporter Steve Hunter at shunter@tukwilareporter.com or 253-872-6600, ext. 5052.

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