TagTrees(42)

Email from Sandy Hunt of Defenders of Highline Forest to Dave Kaplan proposing the Miyawaki method for tree canopy reforestation as a Highline Forum topic. Includes links to local Miyawaki forest projects and criticism of airport mitigation policies.

The City of Des Moines, Washington, formally requests that the Port of Seattle reject the Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) for the Sea-Tac Airport Flight Corridor Management Program, arguing that it fails to adequately assess impacts on the city's tree canopy and urban forest. City Manager Katherine Caffrey urges the Port to instead conduct a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) examining tree removal, urban heat, air quality, stormwater, and habitat effects. The letter emphasizes that Des Moines residents already face disproportionate noise and health burdens from airport traffic, making tree canopy preservation especially critical to their wellbeing.

The Port of Seattle has issued a Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) under Washington's State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) for its Flight Corridor Management Program at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The program, conducted approximately every five years, identifies and removes trees and other obstructions near the airport's runways that could interfere with flight paths, while also requiring ongoing ecological monitoring and tree replacement. A 15-day public comment period ran through September 11, 2025, after which the Port planned to formally adopt the determination, with any appeals required to be filed in King County Superior Court within 21 days of formal adoption.

The Port of Seattle's Flight Corridor Management Program is an ongoing effort to identify and remove trees near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) that obstruct the flight paths of its three parallel runways, as required by FAA regulations. Approximately every five years, the Port surveys the area, removes obstructing trees, and replants replacements, with each cycle documented in publicly available Implementation Plans and Regulatory Memoranda. This 2025 programmatic environmental review under Washington's State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) covers the long-term program rather than individual removal projects.

A June 2025 arborist report by Tree Solutions Inc. inventoried and assessed 181 trees across ten Port of Seattle parcels at the AGB Site near SeaTac Airport, finding the site largely dominated by red alders, black cottonwoods, and invasive plant species following demolition of previous buildings. The report identifies one notable high-value western redcedar (Tree 470, 31.8 inches in diameter) and outlines tree replacement requirements under Port of Seattle Resolution 3821, which mandates a 4-to-1 replacement ratio for any regulated trees removed during future construction. The report is preliminary, as no design or construction plans had been reviewed at the time of writing.

The Green Burien Partnership 2025 Snapshot highlights the City of Burien's urban forestry and environmental stewardship efforts, including planting 607 trees on city property, distributing over 800 free trees to the community, and protecting 516 trees during development. The program, funded entirely through external grants and partnerships with organizations like King Conservation District, also engaged youth and volunteers through 12 community events and a paid youth stewardship program at Hilltop Park. Burien was recognized in 2025 as an Evergreen Community with 25 years as Tree City USA and 8 years of Growth Award.