July 23, 2024 |

Volunteer With Green Tukwila

Looking for a way to get outside this fall and provide a helping hand? Check out the amazing volunteer and education opportunities put on by the Green Tukwila Partnership. 

October Events: 

    • October 8: Planting at Riverton Park — Join local neighbor and forest Steward Debbie for an afternoon impacting the environment. Invasive English ivy and Himalayan blackberry threaten Riverton Park’s large trees, which are essential habitats for large raptors and wildlife. We aim to reestablish a healthy urban forest bordering the community park. 
    • October 10: Planting at Cottonwood Corner — Join local Forest Steward Heidi Watters for Planting Season. Crews have worked all year, clearing and mulching to make room for new plants and trees. Heidi will show you everything you need to know about planting a forest next to a creek.
    • October 19: Duwamish Alive — Spend the day planting with Friends of the Hill, volunteer Forest Stewards, and keep Duwamish Hill Preserve healthy and sustainable. Join us and hundreds of volunteers at multiple sites, for a day of working in the Duwamish Watershed.
    • October 27: Planting & Mulching Water Bearers — This event is being led by two movers and shakers in the environmental movement in South King County. Sarah Kavage, a local artist, and Daniel Collins from Nicoterra. Bring your questions about public art, weaving natural materials, plants, trees, and the health of the watershed.
    • October 31: Boo-tiful Habitat Planting — Celebrate Halloween by planting with EarthCorps and the City of Tukwila as we work to improve the Duwamish River near the Tukwila Community Center (costumes encouraged!).

November Events: 

    • November 2: Help Heal Codiga Park — Join EarthCorps and the City of Tukwila as we continue to work in the Codiga Park natural area on the Duwamish River. The shoreline of the river, however, remained dominated by invasive Himalayan blackberry and Japanese knotweed.
    • November 12: Planting at Riverton Park — Join local neighbor and forest Steward Debbie for an afternoon impacting the environment. Invasive English ivy and Himalayan blackberry threaten Riverton Park’s large trees, which are essential habitats for large raptors and wildlife. We aim to reestablish a healthy urban forest bordering the community park. 
    • November 16: Green Tukwila Day — Let’s come together for high fives, laughs, and some old fashion restoration! This event will focus on environmental education around healthy forests and rivers. Dig in and help plant an understory bush or shrub that will become a safe place for urban wildlife. Many hands make light work; join us for a day of fun!
    • November 22: A Walk in the Park — Come see the fall leaves in a park filled with Big Leaf Maples. Join Green Tukwila staff member Olena Perry for a walk in the park. Learn about nature, identify native plants, and discuss the importance of urban forests. Take away ideas for how everyone can support wildlife, native habitats, and our watershed in their own homes.

Sign up for these events here! 

April 11, 2023 | green tukwila, volunteer

Celebrate Earth Month in Tukwila!

Happy Earth Month, Tukwila! Our beautiful city is home to over 150 acres of open space, including 20 parks and 12 miles of multi-use trails. This month, we’re highlighting our Green Tukwila Partnership and showcasing the many ways you can get involved in protecting Tukwila’s open spaces. The more people that lend a hand, the easier it is to create a healthy ecosystem in which both wildlife and the Tukwila community can thrive.

In 2016, Tukwila became an official “Green City” after the city council adopted a 20-year Green Tukwila Partnership Stewardship Plan led by Forterra. Together with Forterra, EarthCorps, Duwamish Alive Coalition, Dirt Corps, King County Parks, and the Tukwila community, the partnership works to restore and maintain 138 acres of Tukwila’s urban forest. 

For Earth Month, we sat down with Tukwila Parks & Recreation’s Olena Perry to talk about the importance of the Green Tukwila Partnership and the impact it’s had on Tukwila’s urban forest and community.

Experience Tukwila: How much progress has Green Tukwila made in the preservation of Tukwila Parks and Wildlife since the Green Tukwila 20-Year Stewardship Plan started?

Olena Perry: Walk through one of the restoration sites — Tukwila Park, Green River Trail by Bicentennial Park, Crystal Springs Park, Cottonwood Corner and Duwamish Hill Preserve — to see the impact. As the program installs a diverse pallet of plants and trees, and removes invasive plants like English Ivy and Himalayan Blackberry, we will see the return of wildlife and a balanced ecosystem. We measure the success of the partnership by carefully tracking the square feet of noxious weeds removed and the number of native shrubs, groundcovers, and trees planted. 

ET: What makes Tukwila’s landscape special in the broader Duwamish watershed?

OP: Tukwila landscape is unique for many reasons; we have a wide variety of habitats that lend themselves to various native plants and wildlife, from upland forests and riparian zones to grasslands. Healthy green spaces work as filter systems, cleaning stormwater, and airborne pollutants. Tukwila’s impact on the Duwamish River directly affects Orca, salmon, and marine life in Elliot Bay.

ET: Where would you like to see Green Tukwila go in the future? Any exciting new things on the horizon? 

OP: Lots of excitement for Green Tukwila; the partnership is growing. Every year we see more and more volunteers and stewards join the conversation and the work. We have launched environmental programming with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Partner in Employment is returning with their Green Jobs program, Dirt Corps is starting a large project at Crystal Springs Park, and the Service Board has returned for another year of stewardship at Duwamish Hill Preserve. The work is essential, and the community is strong; Green Tukwila is growing and making significant yearly impacts. 

ET: What’s Tukwila Parks’ message to people during Earth Month? 

OP: Earth Day is a time of reflection, to think about our impact on this precious planet and what you can do to support a healthy tomorrow. Get involved in Green Tukwila’s events, learn about your local environment, and make an impact! www.Tukwilwa.gov/earthmonth

Interested in answering Olena’s call to action and getting involved with Green Tukwila? Check out these upcoming Earth Month events: 

Experience Tukwila regularly highlights Green Tukwila work parties, so keep an eye out on our events page and social media to catch future volunteer opportunities!

April 7, 2023 |

Duwamish Hill Preserve Work Party

There’s no better place to celebrate Earth Month than with a work party at Duwamish Hill Preserve.

This unique ecosystem has deep connections to local Indigenous communities and is celebrated by everyone in Tukwila. Fun fact: the hill is older than Mt. Rainier!

Join resident Forest Stewards and a group of volunteers to help remove young blackberries and clear spaces for fall planting. All tools, materials and training will be provided at the beginning of the day. No prior experience required!

April 7, 2023 |

Cottonwood Corner Work Party and Picnic

Invasive plant species Himalayan blackberry, English ivy, and Morning Glory are overrunning Cottonwood Corner.

Forest Steward, Heidi Watters needs your help to prevent their spread and restore the forest back to its natural state.

Join a group of volunteers for this mid-week work party. All tools, materials and training will be provided at the beginning of the day. No prior experience required!

April 7, 2023 |

Celebrate Earth Month Restoring Riverton Park

English Ivy is growing aggressively throughout Riverton Park, choking out native plants and trees, putting the ecological balance at risk.

Help a group of volunteers weed out these invasive pants and restore the park to its natural state.

All tools, materials and training will be provided at the beginning of the work party. No prior experience required!

November 7, 2022 |

Riverton Park Invasive Plant Removal

Riverton Park is slowly being taken over by invasive English ivy and holly. But together, we can fight back and preserve this beautiful wooded oasis. Join Forest Steward, Debbie for a mid-week work party inside the park. This is a great opportunity to learn new valuable forestry skills while also engaging with the larger community. 

This is very much a hands-on experience, so be sure to come prepared. Bring a full water bottle, snacks, weather appropriate clothes, closed-toed shoes, and a pair of garden gloves if you have them. All other tools and materials will be provided. And be sure to show up on time for a quick training session. 

Meeting Instructions
Work parties are taking place next to the Gully Gardens P-Patch on the lower section of the park. You will see a 6ft toolbox (JOBOX) meet there. Park in the lot at Riverton Park and walk down to the P-Patch.

Where: Riverton Park: 13263 Macadam Rd S, Tukwila, WA 98168
When: December 14th
Time: 11:30am – 1:30pm

March 10, 2022 |

Volunteer Restoration Work Party at Riverton Park

Occurring throughout the year on the second Wednesday of the month, join Green Tukwila for a restoration work party at Tukwila’s Riverton Park! Volunteers will help local stewards with tasks like removing invasive plants, cleaning up litter, and planting native plants. All tools and education will be provided.

Work parties will occur on the following dates. Sign up here!

    • Wednesday, April 13, 11:30am – 1:30pm
    • Wednesday, May 11, 11:30am – 1:30pm
    • Wednesday, June 8, 11:30am – 1:30pm
    • Wednesday, July 13, 11:30am – 1:30pm
    • Wednesday, August 10, 11:30am – 1:30pm

March 1, 2022 |

Duwamish Hill Preserve Volunteer Restoration Work Party

Join Green Tukwila to help protect native habitat while having a great time outside!  Duwamish Hill Preserve is kicking off 2022 with a Saturday work party, March 19th, 10am -1 pm. Local stewards need volunteers to help remove invasive plants and protect young native plants. All tools and education will be provided.

Sign up for the Volunteer Restoration Work Party here.

The Green Tukwila initiative is a regional collaboration of cities working to steward natural open spaces that the city joined in 2017. The initiative brings together Forterra, EarthCorps, Duwamish Alive Coalition, Dirt Corps, King County Parks, and the Tukwila community to care for public parks and natural open spaces across the city. Throughout the next 20 years, the partnership will work to restore and maintain 138 acres of Tukwila’s urban forest.

To do this work, they need the community’s help! Join friends, neighbors, and bring your families outside to learn about trees, shrubs, invasive plants, how to use tools, and much more. Work parties are being planned for community members and businesses to care for precious urban forests and to ensure healthy, safe, and beautiful public spaces to enjoy in the future.

May 4, 2021 |

Volunteer Restoration Work Party at Duwamish Hill Preserve

Join Green Tukwila for a Volunteer Restoration Work Party at Tukwila’s Duwamish Hill Preserve. Green Tukwila is restoring 138 acres of forest and open green spaces over the next 20 years and is counting on the support of partners and volunteers to help make this happen. Get outside along the Duwamish River to plant trees and shrubs, remove invasive weeds, and keep the river and parks healthy for animals, fish, plants, and our community.

Green Tukwila is following Public Health Guidelines to keep volunteers and staff safe during work parties. Work parties are limited to 12 people. No experience is necessary and all ages are welcome, though those under 15 are encouraged to be accompanied by an adult. All gloves, tools, and other materials are provided.

Sign up here.

May 4, 2021 |

Volunteer Restoration Work Party at Duwamish Hill Preserve

Join Green Tukwila for a Volunteer Restoration Work Party at Tukwila’s Duwamish Hill Preserve. Green Tukwila is restoring 138 acres of forest and open green spaces over the next 20 years and is counting on the support of partners and volunteers to help make this happen. Get outside along the Duwamish River to plant trees and shrubs, remove invasive weeds, and keep the river and parks healthy for animals, fish, plants, and our community.

Green Tukwila is following Public Health Guidelines to keep volunteers and staff safe during work parties. Work parties are limited to 12 people. No experience is necessary and all ages are welcome, though those under 15 are encouraged to be accompanied by an adult. All gloves, tools, and other materials are provided.

Sign up here.