by Amanda Sorell
Seattle spring sometimes teases us with a stretch of sunny days that then give way to more rain. But let the flowers lift your spirits: Spring has officially arrived, say the camellias, cherry blossoms, daffodils, and tulips. And emerging from slumber alongside these showy flowers are plenty of nourishing plants to forage.
Continue reading The South End Guide to Foraging Your Food: Spring 2024 Editionby Amanda Sorell
The Beacon Food Forest, a 7-acre haven in Beacon Hill’s Jefferson Park, is built on the principle of providing an inclusive place for “all people” and “all species.” Signage welcomes visitors to the forest, where “open harvest” is encouraged, and paths weave past blooming flowers, between abundant gardens, and below rows of fruit trees. Community Relations Director Priya Marita Diaz says the food forest is a “space where people find their nook,” whether those visitors are gardeners, foragers, herbalists, crafters, or groups who just want a peaceful place to meet outdoors. “We have this freedom to express ourselves in the space and use it for healing and building community and coming together,” Diaz said.
Continue reading The Beacon Food Forest Belongs to Everybody: BIPOC Leadership Cultivates Equity and Accessibilityby Danielle Marie Holland
Some Washington State students will feel the impact of a $14,898,500 funding investment in low or no-emission school buses in the coming academic year, based in part on the work established in the Biden–Harris Administration’s Investing in America initiative. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced these awards as part of its Clean School Bus Program’s grants competition, which aims to support sustainable transportation in schools. This initiative aligns with the presidential administration’s expressed commitment to investing in the future of education and the environment.
Continue reading EPA’s Clean School Bus Awards Carry High Social and Environmental Costsby Alex Garland
In the heart of the Pacific Northwest, where the misty mountains cast shadows over lush landscapes, Indigenous activist and educator Rachel Heaton has long felt a profound connection to the majestic Tahoma. The mountain, the tallest in Washington State, has been her foundation for a captivating narrative of personal growth, environmental activism, and an unwavering quest to reclaim Indigenous spaces.
Continue reading Sacred Summit: How an Indigenous Hiker Seeks Inclusion Atop Tahomaby Amanda Sorell
Winter is well underway in Seattle. Cloudy days outnumber sunny ones, and deciduous branches are bare in their dormancy. Still, the city glows green against the gray, with spongy moss shrouding outdoor surfaces and evergreen foliage filling the skyline. And while winter might not be a time we imagine gathering food outside, our heads bent against the rain as we walk past sleeping gardens and withered vines, you can still find plenty to forage.
Continue reading The South End Guide to Foraging Your Food: Winter 2024 Editionby Alex Garland
In eastern King County, a mountainside forest holds an unlikely approach to sustainability and ecological restoration. There, a decades-long project converts poop into profit, yielding bigger trees and potentially lowering taxes.
Continue reading The Royal Flush: How a King County Project Turns Our Waste Into a Rich Environmental and Agricultural Resourceby Amanda Sorell
Seattle is known as the Emerald City, and Seward Park is one of its crown jewels. Living in this lush landscape, on a peninsula on the western edge of Lake Washington in South Seattle, are trees that have grown alongside generations of humans, their thick bark still charred from fires that burned hundreds of years ago. But over the past decade, the forest’s sword ferns and western hemlocks, some of the oldest species in the park, have been mysteriously dwindling.
Continue reading Seward Park Stewards Call for Funding to Save Its Oldest Speciesby Alex Garland
In a South Seattle neighborhood, there’s an undeveloped lot tucked away in a wooded corner. Here, you’ll find a number of small shelters for feral cats — mini-domes and covered kennels that can house up to 20 cats total.
These cats laze around in the sun, occasionally disturbed by passersby. Local residents have been feeding and caring for them for years, according to neighbors. The cats were there before they moved in, says a new property owner, and have been a part of the landscape ever since. “We’re too busy with the house to worry about the cats,” they say.
Continue reading Seattle’s Feral Cat Dilemma: Balancing Love for Felines and Protection of Bird Populationsby Lauryn Bray
Homestead Community Land Trust (HCLT) just received a $10 million grant from novelist and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. The donation was made without restrictions, meaning the organization can use the money for whatever it wants.
Continue reading Homestead Community Land Trust Celebrates $10M Donation From MacKenzie Scottby Alex Garland
Amid the stunning landscapes of the Pacific Northwest, a silent crisis looms — a steep decline in bumblebee populations that casts a far-reaching shadow. These unassuming yet crucial pollinators, with their fuzzy charm and industrious buzz, play an indispensable role in maintaining the delicate balance of countless ecosystems.
Continue reading Conserving Washington’s Bumblebees: A Collaborative Strategy Blossoms to Safeguard Pollinators
