King County Parks enjoyed some quality time with County Executive Dow Constantine in Big Finn Hill Park today to celebrate progress toward the county’s admittedly audacious goal to plant One Million Trees by 2020.
Together with 80 partnering organizations, we’ve planted 705,840 trees in King County. We are SO close! The Executive wholeheartedly encouraged anyone who wants to get involved, to get in touch with King County Parks’ Volunteer Program. The program provides resources, education, and tools for school field trips, corporate team building, or just an easy, enjoyable way to feel connected to place, a place where you can visit in 10, 20, or even 40 years and see a tree you helped grow.
Props to the people of Bellevue for the 5,500 trees you planted – and for the 1.4 million trees you already have, you truly are a Tree City USA!
And thanks to Dirt Corps, Cari Simpson of Urban Systems Design, and the Duwamish Valley Youth Corps and the 1,464 trees all of you planted! Door-to-door delivery of free tree seedlings is an ingenious way to get trees planted in the yards of people who want them. And your brilliant arrangement with Forterra’s Evergreen Carbon Capture program to help the Sounders FC become the first carbon neutral soccer team in North America is an amazing score.
Even the Mariner Moose got into the action, planting a few trees with the tots from Tiny Trees Preschool and a few teens from the Environmental and Adventure School whose students have been forest health stewards at Big Finn Hill Park for at least a decade.
Hazel Engstrom, a sixth-grader from Salmon Bay Elementary School, spoke eloquently about the inspiration she got from her teacher and a guest visitor to her classroom, Michael Foster of Plant for the Planet who said, “If we didn’t plant trees, then who else would?” That was all the convincing she needed to organize a school field trip planting trees at Big Finn Hill Park. Hazel noted: “The connection between Seattle schools and King County is one example of how we can connect to address climate change, plant trees, inspire students, and make the world a better place.”
As these speakers have shown, there are many creative ways to contribute to One Million Trees and help our communities become more resilient to climate change and protect wildlife habitat by adding more trees. If you have already planted trees this year and want them to count toward our goal, let us know. And if you haven’t planted any yet but are excited to, then for sure get in touch with us. We are ready for you!
