Friends of Discovery Park partnered with The Mountaineers to give students hands-on experience in habitat restoration while helping restore native vegetation at Discovery Park. Led by FoDP Board Member, Tom Palm, the stewardship effort brought together students and volunteers to plant native species and care for the park’s natural areas.
Learning by Restoring the Park
The planting project was part of the ongoing effort to restore Discovery Park’s forests and other natural habitats. Volunteers planted native vegetation suited to the park’s landscape, helping replace invasive or disturbed areas with plants that can support the birds, insects, and other wildlife that depend on these ecosystems.
Projects like this are about more than putting plants in the ground. They give volunteers an opportunity to learn about native ecosystems, understand the challenges facing urban natural areas, and contribute directly to the long-term health of the park.
A Partnership Rooted in Stewardship
The Mountaineers is a Pacific Northwest organization dedicated to outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Its partnership with Friends of Discovery Park reflects the important role that community organizations, volunteers, and educators play in caring for Seattle’s largest naturalistic urban park.
This work also builds on the broader restoration efforts taking place throughout Discovery Park through the Green Seattle Partnership. Forest Stewards and volunteers have spent decades removing invasive plants, restoring native vegetation, and helping the park’s forests become healthier and more resilient.
Partnerships like this allow restoration work to accomplish two things at once: improve habitat today while helping develop the next generation of people who understand and value urban nature.
Get Involved
Want to get your hands dirty and help care for Discovery Park? Learn more about opportunities to volunteer with Friends of Discovery Park and explore our post about Green Seattle Partnership’s restoration work in Discovery Park.