Let’s Plant Trees in Puget Sound

Zaya Tumurkhuyag, TNC Green Pathways Fellow, helps plant trees at a Tacoma Green Day. Photo by Hannah Letinich.

Zaya Tumurkhuyag, TNC Green Pathways Fellow, helps plant trees at a Tacoma Green Day. Photo by Hannah Letinich.

It’s time to dig in the dirt and plant trees with volunteers and organizations throughout Puget Sound to support a healthy tree canopy. Were you inspired by the stories and art during Rooted in Puget Sound? Now is the time to turn that inspiration into action! 

Each of us can support the health of the trees in our region – whether it is caring for the tree in your yard, talking about the value of trees with your neighbors and others, or volunteering with a local organization to plant trees in restoration sites and local green spaces. 

October is one of the best times to plant trees in the Pacific Northwest. As part of this month of action, The Nature Conservancy is partnering with Orca Recovery Day, an effort led by Conservation Districts throughout Washington, Oregon and California. Over 80 events on October 19 (check out a few below) will engage thousands of volunteers to improve our region’s conditions for salmon and the Southern Resident orca whales. Trees in our cities and towns support Puget Sound’s orcas by providing healthy salmon habitat, filtering polluted stormwater pollution, shading and stabilizing streams. We will be planting trees with Thurston and King Conservation Districts at restoration sites in Olympia and Seattle, respectively.

These events are an opportunity to connect with community and support the health of our orcas at the same time. Check out details below!

  • Longfellow Creek, Seattle, 10am to 2pm: Join Duwamish Alive!, King Conservation District and partners to remove blackberry and ivy, making space for trees to enhance Longfellow Creek, a salmon-bearing stream in Seattle!

  • West Bay Park, Olympia, 10am to 2pm: Join Thurston Conservation District to remove invasive weeds and make space for native plants to support the health of this public shoreline.

  • North Creek Forest, Bothell, 10am to 1pm: Join Whale Scout and Friends of North Creek Forest will be planting at North Creek Forest and then visiting spawning salmon in nearby North Creek.

  • Hawthorne Elementary, Seattle, 9am to 12pm: Join the Friends of Hawthorne PTA to plant trees, move mulch and fill a new play space with plants and more!  This is the finishing touch of Phase 1 of Hawthorne Elementary’ s playground transformation.

  • Hillside Paradise Parking Plots, Kent, 9am to 12pm: Join World Relief Seattle and partners as they put finishing touches on community-designed rain gardens to clean stormwater and reduce flooding in the Mill Creek neighborhood. 

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After Orca Recovery Day, the efforts continue! Check out more upcoming opportunities to volunteer. 

These events and the Rooted in Puget Sound campaign are supported in part by funding from The Boeing Company and Cedar Grove.

Banner photo by Hannah Letinich.