DEFENDERS OF HIGHLINE FOREST

Standing up for North SeaTac Park & all health-protecting forest
within ten miles of SeaTac Airport

April 2024
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Write us at info@defendersofhighlineforest.org

Defenders’ concerns about Port’s LSP are being heard! 

This map displays areas around SeaTac Airport where the Port is providing or considering environmental stewardship. (Note that the lower left corner of this map is actually an inset of the Port’s mitigation area in Auburn – and the inset is shown at a larger scale than the rest of the map.)  Photo courtesy of Port of Seattle 

It turns out that the Defenders of Highline Forest really are having an impact. We’ve seen it in the attempts in the U.S. Congress to support preservation of  North SeaTac Park and, more recently, at a March 12 meeting of the Port of Seattle Commission. That’s when Commissioner Fred Felleman cited the letter sent by the Defenders of Highline Forest calling for changes in the Port’s proposed Land Stewardship Plan (LSP) as among the “invaluable” feedback the Port had received. Felleman also noted that we call for saving all near-airport forest.
The LSP was presented to the Port Commissioners at that meeting by Port of Seattle staff members Sarah Cox and Chipper Maney.
In her introductory remarks Cox, who is Director of Aviation Environment Sustainability, spoke first about the operational and development requirements of the transportation industry and how to balance those with the economic community – before ever getting around to mentioning environmental concepts like natural resources and their significance to community and benefits to habitat.
Maney, the Port’s Environmental Program Manager, followed up with a more detailed description of what the proposed LSP entails, including a plan to inventory natural resources on Port-owned land and to adopt a 4-for-1 tree replacement program, which would set an aviation industry standard.
But it was in the Q&A following Maney’s presentation that Commissioner Felleman drilled down to some of the insufficiencies of the LSP. He held up a map that graphically depicted the severe environmental impacts suffered by airport-adjacent communities.

Port of Seattle Commissioner Fred Felleman holds up map displaying detrimental environmental impacts on communities around SeaTac Airport. Photo courtesy of Port of Seattle 

“When you look at the heat map for this area, one’s hard pressed to find an area that is not inequitable…. This is one of the lowest treed areas in the whole region,” he noted.
In his comments, Felleman touched on three points:

1)  The LSP should also include an inventory of the Port’s already-developed land in order to support the redevelopment of existing properties rather than “sprawl” onto natural habitats;

2) The Port’s equity analysis should take into consideration how close a proposed Port development will be to residential communities;

3) By doing #1 and #2, the Port can address input from the Defenders and others in the community by using the LSP “as guidance for avoidance” of cutting down trees.
 

A year ago, the homeowners in the Blueberry Lane development (at right) looked across Des Moines Memorial Drive at other houses and trees. Now a massive warehouse development is their new neighbor. 

Felleman’s right! The Land Stewardship Plan must be used to identify alternatives to plopping down more and more huge distribution warehouses over our dwindling forests and within feet of our neighbors in Riverton Heights, SeaTac and Des Moines.
Follow this link to the March 12 Port of Seattle meeting, and find the LSP discussion, including Felleman’s comments, from 1:09:47 to 1:50:11.
Advocacy opportunity: Join in actions to save the remaining mature trees and forest canopy in your neighborhood. Tell the Port you’d like to see an improved version of the Port’s Land Stewardship Plan – our website has more details.

509 Mitigation Update

Photo courtesy of WSDOT

In a presentation to the Des Moines City Council’s Transportation Committee in March, City staff noted that this would comply with the vision set forth in the City’s Comprehensive Plan to keep the trail and wooded area around Barnes Creek as a green space in perpetuity, and eventually to extend the trail from Des Moines Creek all the way to Highline College and the yet-to-be-opened Kent-Des Moines Light Rail station.

New grant to benefit forest restoration in Burien, SeaTac

Forest restoration efforts and afterschool conservation education in Burien and SeaTac will be priorities for the King Conservation District (KCD), which recently was awarded a grant in the highly competitive Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program, administered by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Out of 122 applications, KCD was one of 45 recipients to receive a portion of the $8 Million that DNR was handing out.

“Access to clean air, shade, and green spaces should be a basic human right, but the fact is that throughout our state, lower-income communities and communities of color more often live in neighborhoods with more concrete and asphalt, and too few trees,” Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz said in announcing the grant recipients. “Trees and tree equity are essential for our quality of life”

Neighborhoods with adequate tree canopy cover (40%-60%) can be as much as 14 degrees cooler during our worst heat waves. In the Highline area, Normandy Park is the only city with a tree canopy that is rated as adequate.

Arbor Day/Earth Day Celebrations around Highline

Normandy Park will be hosting an Arbor Day Celebration again this year. Photo courtesy City of Normandy Park 

Sometimes it’s important to pause and remember what we’re advocating for. Arbor Day and Earth Day celebrations this month give us a chance to celebrate the trees and wildlife in our community!

There will be a free educational tree walk around the path at Crestview Park in Tukwila  on Thursday, April 11. This will be an easy adventure to meet trees and learn about the importance of native flora and fauna. Or branch out and take the 2024 Tukwila Tree Challenge with a self-guided tree tour in three local parks. Click here to learn more about Tukwila’s Earth Month events.

On Saturday, April 20, a free Earth Day event at Burien’s Hilltop Park includes forest restoration work and food for all. It will be led by youth interns from Innovation High School along with DirtCorps and Environmental Science Center.

Friends of Saltwater State Park will host Earth Day Festivities at Saltwater State Park on Sunday, April 21. Activities for all ages include crafts and displays, guided forest walks, guided beach walks, and a creek restoration work party. The next day, April 22, is Free Park Entry Day. Learn more about both of them here.

On April 27, Normandy Park is planning an Arbor Day Celebration at Marvista Park. The event will include a free tree giveaway (while supplies last), crafts, and environmental education. The City is also hosting two free, guided bird walks in its forested parklands this month – check out their calendar for details.

And a special advocacy opportunity coming soon to a city near you:
In honor of and in conjunction with Earth Day and Arbor Day, the Defenders of Highline Forest will be introducing ourselves to the City Councils in all SeaTac Airport-adjacent communities this month. We’d love to have YOU stand up with us when we come to the Council meeting in your city. We’ll have more details on our website and on Facebook soon!

**Why do we care so much about all this airport stuff, anyway? Because we believe in protecting the health of our community! Check out this aviation fact sheet for more details.

City reports

Burien

Two acres of a 10-acre parcel of forestland on the south side of Seahurst Park may be slated for the development of up to four house sites, according to the B-Town Blog. Many locals were surprised to learn that this parcel was not part of the Park, but the City of Burien says that the owner has granted an easement which could allow the rest of the land to remain forested and continue to be used for low-impact public access.

In other news, the City of Burien has released its first Green Burien Partnership annual report. In 2023, community members and partner organization staff donated 8100 hours of work – nearly triple the number of hours from the year before. The Partnership is proud to showcase the progress it’s made, and welcomes public feedback to this report.

Volunteer activities in Burien for everyone: 
4/9, 10 AM-Noon – Ivy pull at Salmon Creek Ravine.

4/20, 9:30 AM-Noon – Trail restoration at Miller Creek.
 

Des Moines

Photo courtesy of Friends of Saltwater Park 
Volunteer activity at Saltwater State Park for everyone: 

4/6, 10 AM-Noon – Invasive plant removal at Saltwater State Park.
 

Normandy Park

In its most recent newsletter, the Normandy Park Community Club commended alert community members for promptly reporting the cutting of several trees along the wooded Cove trail late last year. This allowed speedy identification of the (young) perpetrators via footage from nearby security cameras, the parents were contacted, and the families have agreed to restitution for replacement of the trees.

Brief editorial note: planting and protecting trees is way more fun than hacking them down! And hey, if anyone wants to blow off some steam and wreak some beneficial damage, take part in one or more of the ivy removal parties we list in this section. You’ll provide health benefits for our local forests, and good exercise and mental health benefits for yourself!

Volunteer activity in Normandy Park for everyone: 

4/27, 9:30 AM-Noon – Forest restoration at Walker Preserve.
 

Tukwila

King Conservation District Urban Forestry Coordinator Maya Klem works in Tukwila. Photo courtesy of City of Tukwila 

Volunteer activities in Tukwila for various folks:
See all the opportunities and sign up for the one that suits you!