Environmental stewardship may start in your own back yard, but it doesn't have to end there. Getting involved in your community means doing the little things--everything from picking up trash in your local park to cleaning up after your pets when out on a walk. It also means volunteering for and supporting programs that restore habitat, clean streets and shorelines or cultivate community gardens.

But quality of life in Seattle is more dependent upon a robust urban ecosystem than it is upon other factors. Look into opportunities to serve your community and save your environment.

'91 GET ACTIVE IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS Rating: **** Volunteer to work on urban forest restoration projects In 2004, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels announced a major initiative to save Seattle's urban forests. The Green Seattle Initiative, in partnership with the Cascade Land Conservancy, set a goal of restoring 2,500 acres of public forest by 2024. Trees are vital to urban ecosystems. They reduce air pollution and contaminated stormwater runoff that damage creeks, fish and wildlife. Seattle residents have numerous opportunities to help. The Seattle Parks and Recreation Department's Urban Forest Restoration Program has plans to restore Seattle's parks with the help of community support. Budding arborists and horticulturists can get their hands dirty as volunteers with the Trails Program.
Seattle Parks and Recreation - Urban Forest Restoration Program
Green Seattle Initiative - PDF
EarthCorps

'92 A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT Rating: **** Help protect our urban creeks by volunteering for creek restoration projects Seattle is a great place for people as well as for fish and other wildlife. Mayor Nickels has launched his Restore Our Waters strategy to protect these incredible assets. The City of Seattle devotes more than $4 million per year to improve creeks in Seattle. These projects improve habitat for salmon and other aquatic life, improve drainage, and create more natural and inviting open spaces for people. Seattle residents can help by improving habitat on their own property, reducing pollution in our creeks or planning their own neighborhood restoration project. Involving citizens as creek stewards is an important aspect of creek restoration. The City's Creek Steward Program works to enhance our urban creeks. The program includes long term volunteer care for public creek-side sites; weekend work parties; training and assorted workshops.
Office of the Mayor - Mayor Nickels Restore our Waters Strategy
Office of the Mayor - Creek Restoration Overview
Seattle Public Utilities - Be a Creek Steward

'93 SHORE UP YOUR SHORELINE Rating: **** If you live on or near a shoreline, help protect and restore the shoreline. Consider a natural edge rather than a bulkhead for dealing with erosion The City of Seattle is making smart investments to restore habitat along our shorelines, from creating fish-friendly beaches to planting native vegetation for wildlife habitat. The City is improving habitat for Chinook salmon along the shores of Lake Washington, Lake Union and the Ship Canal, the Duwamish Waterway, and Puget Sound. Property owners along Seattle's waters have unique opportunities to help restore habitat. Many Seattle residents have joined volunteer efforts to restore shoreline areas along our waterways. Residents can contact Seattle Public Utilities for more information about improving shorelines and creeks on their property.
Office of the Mayor - Mayor Nickels Restore our Waters Strategy
Seattle Department of Planning & Development - Shoreline Restoration
Seattle Public Utilities - Aquatic Habitat Restoration Matching Grant 206.615.1441 or Kathy.minsch@seattle.gov

'94 SCOOP THE POOP Rating: **** Pick up pet waste and put it in the garbage Pet waste left in yards or on the street is unsightly and, when it rains, can be washed into the stormwater system, entering local waterways. When disposing of pet waste, securely bag it in plastic or wrap in a closed, leak-proof bag or container and place it in your own garbage can or public garbage cans. Most pet waste is not acceptable for composting.
What to do with animal waste in King County

'95 CONSIDER ADOPTION Rating: *** Join an "Adopt-a-Park" or other environmental stewardship group Coordinators at Seattle Parks and Recreation are constantly working with volunteers here to restore and preserve our parks. Volunteers can join work parties to maintain trails, community centers, or pitch in at the Seattle Aquarium or Woodland Park Zoo. Seattle's innovative Adopt-a-Park program involves thousands of citizens and hundreds of community groups to aid in caring for green spaces. Individuals, community organizations, businesses, schools, neighborhoods and youth groups all participate in the program. Through the Adopt-a-Park Program, schools use parks as outdoor laboratories; beaches are cleaned up; play areas are rebuilt; trees are planted; wetlands and creeks are restored; and parks safety is increased.
Seattle Parks and Recreation - Volunteering
Seattle Parks and Recreation - Adopt-a-Park
Seattle Public Utilities - Be a Creek Steward

'96 GET STREETWISE ON THE ENVIRONMENT Rating: *** Adopt a street. You can make a difference by volunteering to adopt one mile or more of city streets. Your pledge will involve four clean ups a year for two years. Individuals, businesses, churches, clubs, schools and organizations can participate. The City of Seattle will provide organizational help, cleanup supplies, free hauling and disposal of garbage, and street signs that announce sponsoring groups and individuals. Adopt-a-Street opportunities also include graffiti removal, tree planting, bus murals painting, storm drain stenciling and other beautification projects. Children can also volunteer to improve school grounds.
Seattle Public Utilities - Adopt-a-Street

'97 START 'EM YOUNG Rating: *** Sign your kids up for environmental stewardship programs The best time to teach your children about environmental stewardship and urban ecosystems is when they are still young. They will develop sustainable habits that will last a lifetime. The Seattle Parks and Recreation Department offers a variety of environmental stewardship programs. Individuals and groups of all ages can join one day, overnight, and season-long educational programs. Environmental Learning Centers offer outdoor field trips and excursions, school programs, nature exhibits, and beach naturalists. Environmental Stewardship programs at more than two dozen community centers offer citizens local opportunities to learn about, and help preserve, the natural resources they see and interact with every day.
Seattle Parks and Recreation - Environmental Stewardship (206) 733-9701
Woodland Park Zoo - Educational Programs

'98 'STEP' UP TO THE CHALLENGE Rating: *** Help teens join Steps Toward Environmental Partnerships and other programs just for teens Steps Toward Environmental Partnerships (STEP) is an environmental stewardship program designed to provide "at risk" and economically disadvantaged teens with environmental training and practical "hands on" work experience in local parks. While this job readiness program emphasis is on environmental stewardship, participants will also learn basic life skills and acquire important values that can help guide future choices and decisions. The City also offers several teen programs and has specialized teen leaders at community centers throughout the city, providing more thorough, focused services to youth.
Steps Toward Environmental Partnerships
Seattle Parks Teen Programs

'99 LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN! Rating: *** Keep your cats indoors. Cats are natural predators. They are one of the main threats to birds and wildlife in urban and suburban areas. One easy solution to threatened urban wildlife is to keep cats indoors. Cats can also transmit diseases to wildlife, and are susceptible to dangerous diseases in return. Indoor cats also lead long, healthier lives, so everyone wins. Seattle Audubon Society - Cats Indoors
Wildbirds.com

'100 FEATHER YOUR NEST Rating: *** Get your back yard certified as a bird sanctuary Creating a wildlife sanctuary in your backyard is an important commitment to conserving and protecting our environment. You can offer a backyard habitat for wildlife by providing shelters that attract and protect birds, nesting sites, feeders and plantings that offer seeds, birdbaths, water gardens, or natural features with flowing water. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife offers a Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary packet that can help you become a wildlife habitat manager on your own property.
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife - Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary
Seattle Audubon Society - Gardening for Life

'101 CULTIVATE YOUR GREEN THUMB Rating: *** Support Community Gardens or 'P-Patches' The Seattle Department of Neighborhoods' Community Gardens/P-Patch Program, in conjunction with the P-Patch Trust, provides community garden space for residents of 44 Seattle neighborhoods. Over 1,900 plots serve more than 4,600 urban gardeners on 12 acres of land. Supporting a strong environmental ethic, the P-Patch Program allows organic gardening only. Special programs serve refugees, low-income, disabled and youth gardeners, while the Lettuce Link project coordinates delivery of tons of fresh donated produce to food banks every year.
Seattle Department of Neighborhoods - P-Patch Community Gardens
(206) 684-0264

NEXT: Getting the Community Involved