Trees

Clear Your Storm Drains – Get Rid of Leaves for Free

It's rainy season - do you know where your storm drains are? Thrill your neighbors and pedestrians by clearing leaves and debris from the storm drains on your block. Don't try to unclog the drain if the clog is below the grate: call SPU at 206-386-1800, then press 2 to report a clogged storm drain. Did you know? Food and yard waste subscribers can place leaves in their container. During the month of November, you are able to place additional bags…

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A Tough Nut to Crack

Fruit tree steward, neighborhood recycling guru, and overall swell neighbor, Barb Burrill, shared a recent adventure in the Wallingford urban orchard: A couple of weeks ago while walking home from my son's school, I noticed a bunch of lime-like fruits lying on the ground and sidewalk beneath a huge tree. Some had split open and looked like what might be black walnuts. I remember finding a funny-looking nut shell when I was a child and learning from my mom that it…

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Sip Cider and Dance

Join the Burke-Gilman Trail Urban Orchard Stewards on Sunday from noon to 3 pm at their 2nd Annual Cider Pressing event. The Orchard Stewards take care of 23 public fruit trees on the Trail between the University Bridge and just west of Gasworks Park. The one pear and 22 apple trees are thriving after many work parties this past year. In snow, rain, and even sun, volunteers removed blackberries, Scotch Broom, cherry laurel and English Ivy, spread wood chips and Zoo…

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TreePAC: Uppity Tree Huggers Unite

Are you tired of pleading, asking, arguing, and proving that trees have public value? Join TreePAC and make change happen the old-fashioned way - with money! WHO:  Citizen land stewards and tree lovers who are fed up with insufficient funds, laws, and enforcement pertaining to the Urban Forest. WHAT:  TreePAC, a political action committee for the trees of Seattle and King County, is forming and hosting its first fundraiser. Founding members, those who attend, will be asked to donate $25. If…

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Be a Tree Ambassador for a day

Seattle reLeaf program and Tree Ambassador Jana Dilley is coming to Wallingford next week to tend to some young residential trees. She's looking for a few volunteers who have some free time and would like to help out (it's Spring Break for Seattle Schools. Bring the kiddies! They'll love it!) It's during regular workday hours next Thursday, April 19, from 10:00AM - 12:00PM, but the neat thing is that Seattle Channel will be on the scene to cover the Tree Ambassador…

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Mapping the trees

SDOT has just announced the release of a new web based tool for looking up what sort of trees are planted throughout Seattle. After taking inventory of over 122,000 street trees, SDOT has put together this handy, dandy little web based tree map that allows users to find out what types of trees are on their street and who is responsible for maintaining them. The website also lists each tree's common and scientific name, the diameter of the trunk, the street…

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Free Conifer Trees This Saturday

Did you know that there are more than 500 kinds of conifers? I had no idea until I heard the song, "C is for Conifers" by They Might Be Giants who add, "They're all over the place but they're still excellent!" Speaking of most excellent conifers, the Trees for Neighborhoods program through Seattle reLeaf has re-opened applications for Seattle residents to receive free conifer trees to plant in their yards. Apply online! Remaining available species are: deodar cedar, western red cedar, weeping Alaska cedar, and shore…

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