Tag Archives: trees

Clean and Green

Help trees find good homes

A fernleaf beech in autumn. Photo by Sten via Wikimedia Commons/Creative Commons.

Seattle reLeaf sent us this this announcement:

Good news Seattle neighbors! Seattle reLeaf still has free trees for residential yards available through the Trees for Neighborhoods program. Residents are eligible for up to four free trees but trees are going fast and some species have waiting lists. The deadline for street trees has passed, but you can still apply for trees to plant in your yard. Here are two of the beautiful trees that still need good homes:

Fernleaf Beech – This naturally graceful and majestic tree brings year round interest to the northwest garden. Originating from France, this deciduous tree has glossy green fern-shaped leaves and strong muscular branches. In the fall the leaves turn an enchanting golden color, lighting up the neighborhood!

Western Red Cedar – The flagship tree of the northwest forest! The western red cedar has graceful sweeping branches and stunning reddish brown bark. Lewis and Clark thought that western red cedars were amazing enough to be called the “trees of life” – arbor vitae. Plant one in your backyard and bring new life to your neighborhood!

The deadline to apply for one of these handsome trees is October 21st, so apply now. Applications are here.

Clean and Green

Free evergreen trees still available

Shore Pine. Photo by Art Poskanzer via Creative Commons.
The Trees for Neighborhoods program has extended the application deadline for Seattle residents to receive free trees to plant in their yards. Apply online here. The remaining available species, all conifers, include deodar cedar, Western red cedar, weeping Alaska cedar, and shore pine.

Trees can be picked up this Saturday, November 12, at Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands, 5513 S. Cloverdale Street .

If conifers aren’t the trees of your dreams, or if you want to plant street trees, you’ll need to wait until next fall when applications will re-open for other tree species and for street tree permits.

Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits: Police, playground, and planting

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Click this to see a larger version of the event poster.
This Saturday you can meet your local police officers, tour the precinct building, and enjoy music, dancing, and free food at this year’s Picnic at the Precinct. All South Precinct residents are invited to this free community event, which will be held from 1:00 – 4:00 pm in the South Precinct parking lot, 3001 South Myrtle Street.

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Nearby in the South Beacon Hill area, Seattle Parks and Recreation will host a meeting for the Othello Playground Safety and Lighting Improvement project on Monday, September 20 from 7:00 – 8:30 pm at the Van Asselt Community Center, 2820 South Myrtle Street.

At this meeting, the design team will present schematic designs for the project, based on information gathered at the first meeting in May and at the August Othello Park International Music and Art Festival.

For more information, please contact Rick Nishi, Parks and Green Spaces Levy Manager at 206-733-9319 or at rick.nishi@seattle.gov, or visit the project website.

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The Beacon Hill branch of the Seattle Public Library will host a special story time for children on Saturday, October 2 at 3:30 pm featuring an actor in costume as the television character Kai-lan from Ni Hao, Kai-lan. The story time is free and registration is not required. Kai-lan will read from one of her Mandarin Chinese/English bilingual books, and giveaways and photo opportunities will be available. The story time is presented in partnership with the Seattle Theatre Group in promotion of the upcoming stage show Storytime Live! at the Paramount Theatre.

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Neighbor Julie writes, “This very friendly cat appeared at our door last night (9/8/10). It is a small, black and white, with an interesting tail. We live in the 19th Ave S. and Horton neighborhood. Please call Julie at 206-999-9231 to claim it.”

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You still have time to submit an application with the Seattle Releaf “Trees for Neighborhoods” program. The application deadline has been extended to October 4 for the program, in which participants receive free trees, training, and some supplies to get started caring for their trees. Trees may be planted along the street or in your yard. To find out more and to get your application, check out the website.

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Another way to help green-up your neighborhood is coming on October 10, with a Maple School Natural Area Invasive Species Removal and Native Planting work party. The work party is from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, followed by a social party until 6:00 pm. All you need to bring is yourself—refreshments, tools, and gloves will be provided.

The Maple School Natural Area is located at 20th Avenue South and South Lucile Street, near Cleveland High School. You can find out more about the event and RSVP at the website.

Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits: Milkshakes, coffee, and a brand-new playground

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Workers taking down the fence at the Jefferson Park Play Area. Photo by Joel Lee.
The playground at Jefferson Park is open at last, and in the words of Joel Lee, “It was already mobbed by children tonight. For adults it’s a good vantage point to see the rest of the park and of course an amazing view of downtown.”

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It’s been all over the local news, but we thought we’d mention it too. Long-time Seattle institution Dick’s Drive-in is hosting a poll on their website, asking where they should build a new Dick’s—north of Seattle, South Seattle (as far south as SeaTac), or the Eastside? Now, we know that Beacon Hill itself wouldn’t be a good location for Dick’s. But we think that a new Dick’s location would fit perfectly into, say, Sodo. We would also like to point out that every single existing Dick’s location is already north of Downtown (though Broadway is only slightly north) and it’s time to give South Seattle some love—and some chocolate milkshakes. Currently we are in second place with 29%, and the north end is running away with the election. Go here to vote.

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If you prefer coffee to a Dick’s milkshake, fear not—Victrola has begun a weekly “cupping” (coffee tasting) at their Beacon Hill location, every Saturday at noon. The café is located at 3215 Beacon Avenue South. — Coffee City blog at The Seattle Times

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Jessie McKenna of ROCKiT space sent along an announcement:

Just a quick announcement that as many of you know, Suzanne Sumi will be taking over Kids’ Dance, Sing & Play. The classes are weekly on Wednesdays, will begin at 9am and are one hour sessions.

The cost is still just $5 per class, but is per family, not per child. This class is big fun for toddler/pre-school aged children and you will just LOVE Suzanne. She’s wonderful! She has 26 years of early childhood education under her belt and will share stories, songs and more with you and your children.

Hope to see you with kids in tow some Wednesday soon!

We see also on their website that ROCKiT space is offering $5 Spanish language classes for both kids and adults, beginning Saturday, September 11. Find out more on the site.

ROCKiT space is at 3315 Beacon Avenue South. Please note that they will be closed from Sunday September 5 through Sunday September 12.

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Publicola and Seattle Transit Blog recently ran articles praising Beacon Bikes! and noting that the group has been awarded $15,000 to make biking safer in the neighborhood.

Way to go, Dylan and Beacon Bikes! (Check out the Beacon Bikes! Facebook page.)

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Publicola reported a while back that loss of the city’s tree canopy is worst in Southeast Seattle, including part of Beacon Hill. The city is hosting an Urban Forestry open house on September 21 to discuss city plans and proposals to increase and enhance our urban forest. More information about the open house here.

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Have a great Labor Day weekend and enjoy what remains of our very odd summer this year!

(Melissa Jonas also contributed to writing this edition of Beacon Bits. Thanks, Melissa!)

Clean and Green

Free trees available through the Tree Fund

Add more greenery to your life with a free tree. Photo by Wendi.
Community members can get free trees for their neighborhood through the Tree Fund, a program of the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. It is an easy way for residents to beautify their neighborhood and help the environment, while connecting with their neighbors.

Groups of neighbors from at least five households living on a street or block can request from ten to 40 trees per project.  In addition, each participating household can have a fruit tree for their own yard.  Information on how to organize your neighborhood, the selections of trees, and the application form, can be foundhere.  The deadline for applications is August 16.

This is the 15th year that the Department of Neighborhoods is providing free trees through the Tree Fund program.  Through the Fund, Seattle residents have planted more than 20,000 trees, and helped to add to the city’s dwindling tree cover. In 1972, Seattle had a tree cover of 40 percent.  Now, that cover has dropped to 22 percent.  This decline threatens nature’s ability to help manage storm water, reduce erosion, absorb climate-disrupting gases, improve public health and clean the air.  The goal of the Tree Fund program is to increase the percentage back to 30 percent, build community, and promote a clean and green environment for Seattle’s streets.

For questions or additional information, contact Judy Brown, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, at 206-684-0714.

In addition, Seattle reLeaf is providing free trees for residents who live in specific neighborhoods within southwest and southeast Seattle through the City’s 2010 Trees for Neighborhoods program.  To learn more, visit the website.

Clean and Green

Still time to recycle your tree for free

Still got some forlorn holiday foliage? Take it to the transfer station. Photo by wetwebwork.
Still got your old dead Christmas tree? You can still recycle it for free, if you hurry. If you subscribe to curbside food and yard waste collection, and yours hasn’t already been picked up this week, you can put your tree out on your regular collection day at no extra charge until January 10. Trees should be cut into sections of six feet long or shorter, with branches trimmed to less than four feet. Sections should be bundled with string or twine.

Trees with flocking or tinsel, or ones that are plastic, aren’t recyclable. They have to go in the trash, cut into three-foot pieces, and each piece will be charged as extra garbage.

If you missed the yard waste pickup, there’s one other option. You can drop off your tree for free until January 10 at the South Recycling and Disposal Station, located at Second Avenue South and South Kenyon Street, and the North Recycling and Disposal Station in Wallingford. The stations are both open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Trees brought to the recycling stations must be cut to eight feet or less in length and the trunk must be four inches or smaller in diameter. The limit is three trees per vehicle. Only trees without flocking or decoration may be disposed of free of charge.

Local Events

Events this week: Immigration reform, free tree deadline, Van Asselt playground-in-a-day

Congressman Luis Gutierrez of Illinois will participate in a virtual town hall meeting about immigration reform this Wednesday. (Photo from luisgutierrez.house.gov.)
Congressman Luis Gutierrez of Illinois will participate in a virtual town hall meeting about immigration reform this Wednesday. (Photo from luisgutierrez.house.gov.)
El Centro de la Raza is hosting “A Call to Action for Immigration Reform,” on Wednesday, November 18 at 5:00 pm, including a virtual town hall with Representative Luis Gutierrez to discuss the principles of progressive immigration reform. The call in English will be at 5:00 pm, and in Spanish at 6:00 pm. El Centro de la Raza is located at 2524 16th Avenue South, and this event is in room 310. For more information, call 206-957-4605.

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A few weeks ago we mentioned the ReLeaf tree giveaway program, in which EarthCorp and the City are giving free trees to residents of Beacon Hill and three other Seattle neighborhoods. The deadline to apply for your free trees is tomorrow, Monday, November 16. Applications may be downloaded here. If you need more information about the program, contact  Lina Rose, EarthCorps Project Manager, lina@earthcorps.org, 206-793-2454.

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Another reminder: Thursday, November 19, is the day of the Van Asselt playground building project. Volunteers will help build the playground, along with MLS soccer players and representatives from Home Depot and KaBOOM! The MLS players are participating through MLS W.O.R.K.S., the league’s community outreach program, as part of the festivities building up to the MLS Cup next weekend at Qwest Field.

(Hat tip to Examiner.com.)

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Don’t forget to check our Events Calendar for more upcoming events on the Hill!

Clean and Green

Free trees for Beaconians

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treeflyerforwebYou might have noticed that Beacon Hill is one of the neighborhoods with the lowest amount of tree canopy cover in Seattle. Only 19% of the residential property on the Hill has tree cover. In the 1970s, Seattle had 40% tree cover, but today, the city with “the hills the greenest green” only has a shockingly low 23% tree cover. The tree canopy went away quickly, and it will take more time to bring it back, but the city has a goal of reaching 30% tree cover by 2037.

EarthCorps and the City of Seattle are combining forces to provide free trees to residents of Beacon Hill, along with Georgetown, West Seattle Junction/Genesee Hill, and Westwood/Roxhill, all of which have a low amount of tree canopy.

Residents of these neighborhoods can apply for free trees for their planting strips and property. Trees will be available for pick up in early December. Tree recipients will be able to attend a workshop on tree planting and care, and will receive tree watering bags in the spring.

The deadline for this program is November 16. Applications may be downloaded here. If you need more information about the program, contact  Lina Rose, EarthCorps Project Manager, lina@earthcorps.org, 206-793-2454.

Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits: Candidate visit, free trees, Jungle tour, and poetry

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You could grow these on your own tree, free from EarthCorps and the Mayors Office of Sustainability and the Environment. Photo by Erlomo.
You could grow these on your own tree, free from EarthCorps and the Mayor's Office of Sustainability and the Environment. Photo by Erlomo.
Mayoral candidate Mike McGinn, who seems to be attempting to court Southeast Seattle voters lately, is hosting a “town hall” meeting at the Jefferson Park community center at 8pm on Saturday, September 19th. He’ll also be at the Columbia City library earlier the same day, at 10:30am. (There probably won’t be much yelling at these town halls.)

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More free trees! EarthCorps and the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and the Environment are looking to provide trees to residents to plant on private property or the planting/parking strips along the street in neighborhoods with low tree canopy coverage. There are several trees to choose from, including cherry trees. Check the EarthCorps site for more info and the application form.

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Craig Thompson takes KOMO’s Travis Mayfield for a walk in the Jungle. Video, too. And more at Travis’s personal blog.

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Garage sale Sunday near 28th and Ferdinand — Craigslist
You can post your own garage sale announcements in our Forum.

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The Chrysanthemum Literary Society’s inaugural poetry reading is this Saturday, the 19th, from 10:30am to 12:30pm at the Beacon Hill library.

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Don’t forget the other events coming up — like the Lucile Street block party this Saturday starting at noon! Check out the event calendar for more.

Crime

Crime notes: bikes, racks, plants gone missing

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More plant pilfering in the neighborhood reported on the mailing list. From Erin on 15th between Plum and Holgate:

Sometime between Saturday, Sept 5 noon and Sunday, Sept 6 6.00 PM someone stole a small Japanese maple tree from our driveway. We have a common/shared driveway not visible from the street.

And last night, Destiny near 14th and Spokane had a bicycle stolen, and it wasn’t even hers:

My husband just got back from Burning Man, and washed off the bike we borrowed from a friend: a Maroon Trek mountain bike. He set it on the side of our town house to dry, and someone STOLE it our of our little yard while it was drying last night. Now we own my best friend $700.

Please be on the lookout for a maroon Trek Mountain bike with straight handlebars. It’s a few years old but in great condition.

Justin on 20th between Hanford and Stevens followed up:

Maybe they needed a rack to go with it. Somebody ripped my Yakima rack off my car last night…

If you’ve got any tips or information for Erin, Destiny, or Justin, drop us a line and we’ll get you in touch.