On Saturday, 62 enthusiastic volunteers showed up at the Duwamish Waterway Park for the 9th annual spring Duwamish Alive event. The group was welcomed with stories from Cecile Hansen, chairwoman of the Duwamish Tribe. We were lucky to have clear skies for the first 20 minutes, and then the rain started falling. Hard. Undeterred, everyone got to work. The first group of kayakers donned their gear and started removing varied debris from the Duwamish River shoreline. By the end of the day, they had gathered 260 pounds! Two nearby rain gardens were planted just in time for a flush of rain.
Volunteers removed invasive species, laid down thick burlap bags, and mulched wooded sections of the park.
Katelyn, Chris, and Paul used a skiff to remove a large tire, an old oil boom, a boat window, and a broken sink from the river.
Nearly 1000 volunteers were working hard across 13 different sites in the Duwamish Valley to improve habitat and remove debris.
Thanks to the Environmental Coalition of South Seattle, Cari Simson with Urban Systems Design, Alki Kayak Tours, Recology CleanScapes, and Seattle Parks and Recreation for partnering with us at this site, as well as to the Rose Foundation for the Environment and Keen Shoes for their support of the Duwamish Alive Coalition. Join us in October for the fall event!
