Why Are So Many Restoration Projects Happening in Discovery Park?
When you’re walking most anywhere in Discovery Park, do you see the tell-tale signs of restoration? This could be large areas of new wood chip, piles of Himalayan blackberry removals, stacks of ivy, flags on newly planted trees and shrubs, or the little green signs below.
Have you ever wondered if there’s a method to the madness? There is.
Restoring Discovery Park, One Habitat at a Time
Since Discovery Park was established in 1972 (and officially opened in 1973), restoration has been an ongoing effort. Guided by the Discovery Park Master Plan, Seattle Parks and Recreation has worked for decades to remove former military infrastructure, restore native habitats, and return portions of the former Fort Lawton property to functioning forest, meadow, and shoreline ecosystems.
Volunteer stewardship became an important part of that work in the late 1990s through the Park’s Adopt-An-Area program. Many of those original volunteers continue to care for Discovery Park today, now serving as Forest Stewards through the Green Seattle Partnership.
What Is the Green Seattle Partnership?
The Green Seattle Partnership (GSP) was launched in 2005 as a collaboration between Seattle Parks and Recreation and Forterra (then known as the Cascade Land Conservancy). Its ambitious goal was to restore 2,500 acres of forested parkland across Seattle over 20 years by combining professional restoration with thousands of volunteer hours.
GSP brings together many Seattle Parks staff, community organizations, and volunteers all committed to the work of restoration. They all work together to remove invasive plants, plant native trees and shrubs, improve wildlife habitat, and help the park’s forests become healthier and more resilient. Discovery Park, as Seattle’s largest green space, has become one of the Partnership’s most significant restoration landscapes.
Restoration Is a Community Effort
The Partnership has been so successful in Seattle that it has spawned similar efforts in multiple cities in King County, Snohomish County, and Pierce County because Forterra’s charter covers land restoration, preservation, sustainable farming, and urban liveability in the entire Puget Sound Basin up to the Cascades and beyond. Think Green Everett, Green Tacoma, etc. Each of these new cities has its own set of Forest Stewards and partners.
For more information on the Green Seattle Partnership, check out GreenSeattle.org. For a look at what is happening in Discovery Park, explore the Forest Stewards Resources page and the GSP Map — an interactive map where you can see all the restoration zones in Discovery Park and their phases of restoration. There’s even an Events Calendar so you can see when restoration events are happening in Discovery Park and experience the joy of bringing back the natural world in Discovery Park for yourself.
So now when you see someone in a green or orange vest diligently tilling the soil and planting, you’ll know what they’re up to and will know that little green sign is the sign of renewal.
— Tom Palm
Green Seattle Partnership Forest Steward, Discovery Park
Get Involved
Interested in helping restore Discovery Park? Visit our Volunteer page to learn about upcoming restoration events and discover how you can become part of the stewardship community.
You can also read our Forest Steward Spotlight: Tim Garland to learn what inspires volunteers to dedicate their time to caring for Discovery Park’s forests.
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