First-ever Seattle Forest Week will run Nov. 6-13, featuring walks, ‘forest bathing’ and more

Seattle is known for being green.

With 489 parks spanning over 6,000 hectares, it’s easy to see why. But Seattle’s forests are remnants of the vast forests that once stood in the Puget Sound region, and because of invasive weeds, development, and a host of other factors, our forests need management and maintenance.

In 2004, the Green Seattle Partnership was formed, which partnered Seattle Parks and Recreation with a variety of community organizations to create what is now the largest urban reforestation project in the country. One of Green Seattle’s key initiatives is the annual Green Seattle Day, when thousands of volunteers help plant trees and keep urban forests healthy across Seattle – a tradition that has been going on for 16 years.

This year, for the first time, Green Seattle is partnering with Trees for Seattle, the umbrella organization for the city of Seattle’s urban forestry efforts, to launch the first-ever Seattle Forest Week, which will run from November 6th to November 13th.

The week begins with Green Seattle Day on Saturday, November 6th and culminates the following Saturday with Seattle Arbor Day – not to be confused with National Arbor Day in April – at John C. Little, Sr. Park, hosted by the Seattle Housing Authority and the residents of NewHolly. There are opportunities to get involved and learn throughout the week.

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There has been “a lot of effort by a variety of agencies and organizations to consider types of opportunities that would be attractive to community members,” said Lisa Ciecko, plant ecologist with the Green Seattle Partnership. “Each of the individual events flow into the planning with a lot of thought and collective input. So everyone will really be an individual experience. “

The events are free and environmentally friendly fun. What can Seattle residents expect this week? We’re glad you asked. Here’s what the Seattle Forest Week organizers have in store.

On Saturday, November 6th, there will be a planting drive and exploration walk of the Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands. on the same day, renowned Seattle artist and muralist Stevie Shao will paint a portable mural live on the Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands; expect a BIPOC Beach Walk with Sea Potential on Sunday November 7th at Discovery Park; Bulb planting parties with the Freeway Park Association are held Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday; on Thursday there will be a “Forest Bathing Walk” with Cascadia Forest Therapy in Seward Park; a Barks and Barks Tree Walk, perfect for four-legged friends, hosted by Seattle Public Utilities on Friday; and a Youth Climate Panel held on Sunday November 13th via Zoom. There will also be live Instagram walks throughout the week.

Overwhelmed by the variety of options? One of the standout events is a planting event on Green Seattle Day at the Daybreak Star Cultural Center, said Ciecko in collaboration with the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation and the Na’ah Illahee Fund. “This is part of a vision to create a food and educational forest so that indigenous communities living in Seattle can continue to learn and harvest traditional foods and medicines,” says Ciecko. It is an opportunity, she continues, “to bring people to work and, in particular, to prioritize participation in BIPOC and to create a welcoming space for people to learn about this work.”

Sea Potential, a Seattle-based non-profit organization that is hosting the BIPOC Beach Walk on November 7th, is also working in this area with the mission of promoting the representation of blacks and indigenous peoples and all color communities in this sustainability area. “Through healing activities and discussions about ocean justice, we focus on promoting the appreciation of young people and the connection to the marine ecosystems and transforming the maritime industry through an inclusive workplace culture,” says the group’s mission. The inclusion-oriented beach event on Sunday “is an opportunity to look at the marine ecosystems and their connection with the urban forest and the value of the urban forest for crabs, fish and orcas,” said Ciecko.

And as much as you can learn from organizers and volunteers this week, you will likely learn more from Mother Nature.

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“Forests give us so much. There is so much they can teach us, ”says Michael Stein-Ross, owner of Cascadia Forest Therapy. “When you participate in Seattle Forest Week, you create opportunities to learn, grow, and repair culture by connecting with nature.”

What can the participants of the Stein-Ross forest bathing event expect? Get ready for a slow, gently guided forest walk designed to encourage that connection.

“I am delighted that the Seattle Forest Week sessions are being held on Veterans Day so we can raise awareness of how veterans can find support in the great outdoors for their unique wellness needs,” said Stein-Ross. He also noted that a commitment to preserve forests is an obligation to preserve our own communities.

“When a city is willing to work with us, it shows that it understands how forests are important to the health of its citizens and how its citizens are important to the health of its forests.”

OUTDOOR EVENTS

Seattle Forest Week

For a full listing of November 6-13 events, with links to entry forms, visit Green Seattle’s website at st.news/green-week.

Sarah Neilson
on Twitter: @sarahmariewrote. Sarah Neilson is a freelance writer and book critic based in Seattle. They can be found on Instagram @readrunsea; and on their website: sarahneilsonwriter.com.

https://www.seattletimes.com/life/outdoors/first-ever-seattle-forest-week-will-run-nov-6-13-featuring-walks-forest-bathing-and-more/