Co-creating habitat restoration opportunities with communities of color

December 3, 2021 / / No Comments

Attendance at habitat restoration events is typically dominated by people who are white, affluent, and/or retired. Although these events provide opportunities to connect with nature, there are a number of barriers for low-income and/or people of color to get involved — knowledge gaps, the opportunity cost of working a weekend job, and safety concerns, to name a few.

Fundamental changes to how we approach habitat restoration events are needed to make these outdoors activities more equitable. Over the years, ECOSS has advocated for and implemented compensation models, training and community outreach to make environmental stewardship more inclusive.

This year, ECOSS began working with Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Green Seattle Partnership to further assess community needs and interests around urban environmental stewardship. ECOSS recruited eight community leaders from Vietnamese, Filipino, Bhutanese, Burmese and Latinx communities for focus groups to learn about Green Seattle Partnerships, gather input on how to make stewardship more equitable and help co-create stewardship events. Thus, community members could influence the conversations around environmental stewardship at a broader scale than simply individual events.

ECOSS welcoming participants to the day’s habitat restoration event. Photo credit: ECOSS.

The year’s work culminated at Seattle’s Seward Park. ECOSS brought together 17 community members across Vietnamese, East African and Bhutanese/Nepalese communities for a planting event. In addition to showing people how to plant and mulch for different native plants, ECOSS provided food, hot beverages, and giveaways including: indoor/outdoor plants, tote bags, beanies, and $30 gift cards as thanks for their time and participation.

The focus group greatly supported the event’s success. ECOSS learned which plants were culturally-relevant, what activities were of interest, and how ECOSS and the Green Seattle Partnership should recruit for the event. The preparation also affirmed that the volunteering mindset of the dominant stewardship model doesn’t resonate for people who don’t have the privileges of ample time and resources.

Habitat restoration can be an inclusive activity that resonates with different communities’ connections with nature and stewardship. The key is in meeting underserved communities where they are.

Learn more about ECOSS’ environmental stewardship work

Working towards environmental justice in the Duwamish Valley, one job at a time

February 9, 2021 / / No Comments

The environmental sector is commonly dominated by white and affluent demographics. Yet, multiple studies have illustrated the disparity in environmental impacts on underserved and vulnerable communities. There are many barriers to closing this disparity, including lack of resources, lack of knowledge, cultural differences and more. ECOSS and several partner organizations are coming together to design a process to address one of these barriers — the gap in green career pathways centered on low-income and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.

On a cloudy morning in January, ECOSS joined the Duwamish Valley Youth Corps (DVYC) and DIRT Corps for a day of habitat restoration along the Duwamish River. At a property just south of Port of Seattle’s Terminal 117 site, a future restoration site in the South Park neighborhood, youth learned about what used to be marshland along the river and how their work that day would help return the habitat to a former healthier state.

A dozen youth planted native grasses that will help prevent erosion of the bank as the river’s tides rise and fall.

Guided by George Blomberg, one of the Port’s senior environmental program managers and native plant experts, youths and adults worked together to plant native bear grass and tufted hairgrass along the Duwamish River. A couple of hours and a hundred plants later, the shore was lined with new greenery. The native grasses will help prevent erosion of the bank as the river’s current and saltwater tides rise and fall.

This work is an early phase of a series of projects with the Green Jobs Coalition, an emerging partnership that ECOSS joined with Duwamish Valley Youth Corps, Duwamish Tribal Services and DIRT Corps. Working with the Port of Seattle, the coalition envisions a Duwamish Valley with no systemic bias, where lower-income residents and BIPOC:

  1. Face no barriers to sustainable, fulfilling, inspiring, living wage careers
  2. Contribute to, and benefit from healthy, whole, self-sufficient communities restoring the health of the Duwamish River.

For many of the youth who came to plant native grasses, similar opportunities are not commonly available for them. South Park is one of Seattle’s most vulnerable neighborhoods when it comes to environmental impacts, both in terms of population demographics and environmental exposures. The coalition’s work will address these kinds of inequities while uplifting underserved communities. Stay tuned for more stories from the Green Jobs Coalition!

Check out the Seattle Times feature on this work
Learn more about ECOSS’ programs

Rain can’t stop the trick or tree-ting!

October 24, 2019 / / No Comments

Rain has returned to Seattle. For some, that means curling up inside with a hot mug of coffee. For others, it’s an opportunity to be environmental stewards!

Recently, hundreds of volunteers gathered across 19 different sites to celebrate Orca Recovery Day with the Duwamish Alive Coalition. This is the ancestral land and waters of the Coast Salish peoples, including the Duwamish Tribe. They are the first stewards of the land and continue to care for this region.

ECOSS hosted one of the Duwamish Alive sites in partnership with Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, inviting communities of color to plant trees at a restoration site in the Rainier Valley. At this site alone, volunteers planted a total of 230 trees and shrubs! Check out some photos from the event below:

Located at the headwaters of the Duwamish River, transforming this site from a blackberry-dominated landscape to one with a diversity of native plants will promote water quality in the Duwamish River, leading to healthier salmon populations and subsequently healthier orca populations. And volunteers have the chance to see that transformation from beginning to end, as this space has had very little recent care. This humble space has the potential to be an inspiration for diverse communities to be lifelong environmental stewards!

Learn more about how ECOSS empowers environmental stewards!

Thank you to Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust and the Duwamish Alive Coalition for your partnership and the Rotary Club for your support!

Celebrating Earth Day by giving to nature

April 23, 2019 / / No Comments

In celebration of Earth Day, ECOSS partnered with Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust to host a Duwamish Alive! event on April 20th, one of over a dozen sites restoring habitat in the Green-Duwamish River watershed. Last October, ECOSS and the Greenway led volunteers in planting 60 native shrubs in the wetland area of the Duwamish Hill Preserve. For Earth Day, many of these volunteers returned to add mulch to the site, further promoting the health of the budding understory.

Before mulching.
Mulch laid down to prevent invasive weeds from seeding into the site.

The Green-Duwamish River is home to five salmon species, coho, pink, chum, steelhead and Chinook. The last of these species is a critical food source for Puget Sound’s iconic Southern Orcas. By volunteering with Duwamish Alive, community members are protecting the health of the Duwamish River from stormwater pollution by building up the shrubs that are nature’s water filters.

Photo Credit: Sam Le.
Photo Credit: Sam Le.

It was not easy work, but 25 cubic yards of mulch were no match for the abundant enthusiasm and stewardship pride felt throughout the day. Check out more pictures from the event below, courtesy of Sam Le.

Events like Duwamish Alive are the product of collaborative community ideation and involvement. ECOSS worked with the Bhutanese Community Resource Center and the Environmental Professionals of Color to engage volunteers and provide environmental education that is relevant and fun.

Learn more about how ECOSS lifts up communities of color via outdoors experiences.

ECOSS’ leadership in Duwamish Alive is supported by the Duwamish Alive Coalition, which brings together organizations working within the Green-Duwamish watershed to discuss shared challenges and cooperate on sustainable solutions.

Thank you to the Rotary Club of Seattle for providing the funding that makes work like this possible.

The importance of accessible environmental connections

November 20, 2018 / / No Comments

ECOSS and Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust partnered to provide environmental education, cultural history and habitat restoration opportunities for diverse communities as part of Duwamish Alive!

Allan Kafley, Multicultural Outreach Manager, brought the Bhutanese community to the Duwamish Hill Preserve to connect and give back to their environment. Check out the video to hear how the community values these volunteering events.

See the other two videos from this event:

 

 

 

The New Arrivals program promotes access to these and other experiences for immigrants and refugees.

Learn more about New Arrivals

Thank you Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust for partnering with us and sharing your restoration expertise. Thank you Bhutanese Community Resource Center for helping bring volunteers from the Bhutanese community! Thank you to Rotary Club of Seattle for funding environmental equity work. And thank you Duwamish Alive Coalition for including us to make environmental education and connections accessible to all!

Habitat restoration and environmental education go hand in hand

November 20, 2018 / / 1 Comment

ECOSS and Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust partnered to provide environmental education, cultural history and habitat restoration opportunities for diverse communities as part of Duwamish Alive!

Mountains to Sound’s environmental educator, Lizzy Dowd, talks about what habitat restoration looks like and the native plants that make the Duwamish Hill Preserve thrive.

See the other two videos from this event:

 

 

 

The New Arrivals program promotes access to these and other experiences for immigrants and refugees.

Learn more about New Arrivals

Thank you Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust for partnering with us and sharing your restoration expertise. Thank you Bhutanese Community Resource Center for helping bring volunteers from the Bhutanese community! Thank you to Rotary Club of Seattle for funding environmental equity work. And thank you Duwamish Alive Coalition for including us to make environmental education and connections accessible to all!

Giving back to nature – why Tukwila councilmember volunteers

November 19, 2018 / / No Comments

Tukwila councilmember De’Sean Quinn came out with his family to restore habitat at the Duwamish Hill Preserve as part of Duwamish Alive! Check out the video to hear why volunteering events are so important.

ECOSS and Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust partnered to provide environmental education, cultural history and habitat restoration opportunities for diverse communities.

See the other two videos from this event:

 

 

 

The New Arrivals program promotes access to these and other experiences for immigrants and refugees.

Learn more about New Arrivals

Thank you Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust for partnering with us and sharing your restoration expertise. Thank you Bhutanese Community Resource Center for helping bring volunteers from the Bhutanese community! Thank you to Rotary Club of Seattle for funding environmental equity work. And thank you Duwamish Alive Coalition for including us to make environmental education and connections accessible to all!

Bhutanese community comes alive at Duwamish Alive!

October 31, 2018 / / No Comments

Autumn is a great time for habitat restoration around Puget Sound. The start of the rainy season means softer soils, perfect for invasive weed removal and native vegetation planting.

Although cloudy skies may not be the most exciting outdoors weather, that could not dampen the enthusiasm of nearly 40 volunteers who showed up at the Duwamish Hill Preserve! Gathered around the site’s Seasonal Round, volunteers learned about the history of the preserve, the Salish peoples and the cultural and ecological significance of the plants around them.

ECOSS Multicultural Outreach Manager Allan Kafley talking about how indigenous tribes were connected to native plants and how local wildlife benefits. Photo Credit: Sam Le.

Then it was time to put on gloves and grab the shovels. With twice as many volunteers as expected, the group quickly dug out invasive weeds, replaced them with native shrubs and helped protect this unique ecosystem and cultural site! Adjacent to the Duwamish River, this site — like others being restored within the Duwamish Alive Coalition — also supports salmon by reducing pollution in the river.

 

Removing invasive weeds by the armful. Photo Credit: Sam Le.
Restoration tools for the day. Photo Credit: Sam Le.
Digging back invasive reed canarygrass. Photo Credit: Sam Le.
Proud habitat restorers with the Tall Oregon grape they planted. This plant can be found natively throughout the Pacific Northwest. Photo Credit: Sam Le.
Native planting is best done in pairs. Photo Credit: Sam Le.
A long-toed salamander wandering the restoration site. Photo Credit: Sam Le.
Each overturned pot represents a newly planted native plant. Photo Credit: Sam Le.
Group photo of the volunteers. Almost 40 in total! Photo Credit: Sam Le.

Habitat restoration volunteering is a great way to build connections with the environment and with one’s community. Not much can compare to the feeling of encountering the animals that you are working to protect while restoring habitat. The New Arrivals program promotes access to these and other experiences for immigrants and refugees.

Learn more about New Arrivals

Thank you Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust for partnering with us and sharing your restoration expertise. Thank you Bhutanese Community Resource Center for helping bring volunteers from the Bhutanese community! Thank you to Rotary Club of Seattle for funding environmental equity work. And thank you Duwamish Alive Coalition for including us to make environmental education and connections accessible to all!