Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels announces plan to save city forests

[Ediacara]

Nickels announces plan to save city forests

By J. Patrick Coolican
Seattle Times staff reporter


Greg Nickels

At a south Seattle greenbelt yesterday, Mayor Greg Nickels announced a plan to raise up to $50 million over the next 20 years from public and private sources to save the city's urban forests.

"If we don't act, ivy and the other invasive species will choke our forests" and turn city greenbelts into "ecological wastelands," Nickels told about 100 people at the Cheasty Boulevard Greenspace.

Nickels' goal through the Green Seattle Partnership is to restore the 2,500 acres most at risk by 2024.

More at the Seattle Times

[dumpster_baby]

1. The forests in Seattle are incredible

Seattle itself is incredible. There are huge trees many places in the city.

YOu could actually live without much shelter at all anywhere in the Seattle area, and be very comfortable almost the entire year.

[keopeli]

2. There is an area just South of Downtown that feels like a Forest

when you're in the middle of it. Water abounds, as do plants. It's a beautiful, magical place. AND, one of our people stopped the Millenium Bomber!

The bluest skies you've ever seen are in Seattle...

Keo

[progressivebydesign]

4. Blue skies in Seattle..

.. ssshhhhh... I get the impression we're not supposed to say that. Since moving here, I've gotten the idea that we're supposed to say it's gray and rainy every single day. hee hee.

Actually, I was at the farmer's market here in Gig Harbor yesterday. And I swear, this vendor was selling sun catchers made of wax. I asked if they'd melt in the sun. She scoffed at me and said.. "we never get any sun!". She was serious! Now.. it was SUNNY when she said that! Perhaps people up here are unfamiliar with that bright yellow or.. but it is indeed Sun! I just looked at her and smiled.

[mondo joe]

8. Freeway Park?

Do you mean Freeway Park?

[progressivebydesign]

3. This is a real concern..

.. I live 45 minutes south of Seattle. We live pretty much within a suburban forest, and daily it is being encroached by ivy, blackberries, huckleberries, and other aggressive plants. Seattle and this entire area has a natural beauty, even in the cities, that is unrivaled. Some of the area is suburban hell... but the majority is heavenly.

[walmartsucks]

5. City forests?

Oxymoron?

[Ediacara]

6. There are many areas of Seattle (and other cities) that retain old forests

Some are quite big like Stanley Park in Vancouver, others like Seattle Interlaken Park, are smaller, but just as beautiful.

[Raster]

7. don't forget auburn's game farm park...

...one of the most beautiful little parks in king country... and it's sister park across the white river, game farm wilderness park.