Seattle, WA

All Corps Retreat took place at Camp Long in West Seattle from Saturday, January 8 to Sunday, January 9, 2011 and was attended by 47 youth and 8 staff. Students participated in a service project, led team-building games, had small group time, did leadership activities, and put on a student run panel about future conservation opportunities. Overall, SCA students completed 162 hours of work, removed 495 sq. ft. of invasives, graded 40 ft. of trail, graveled 35 ft. of trail, built 3 box steps, and removed 1 garbage bag of trash! Students also received 141 hours of environmental education, including workshops in Leave No Trace, orienteering, compost/trash, tracking, climate change, plant ID, survival skills/first aid, campfire building, and nature poetry/art.

Lots of awesome photos...

This year, SCA had two community conservation crews working in Seattle parks, one at Thornton Creek in North Seattle and the other at Lakeridge (or Deadhorse Canyon) Park in South Seattle. Over the course of five weeks, these 12-member crews greatly improved the appearance and accessibility of these parks by performing invasive species removal, restoring trails, and laying down jute fabric to prevent erosion.  In return for their work, each crew member received a stipend and had the opportunity to learn about local environmental issues.  Learn more about the crews.

By Emma Jornlin, SCA Staff

The room bubbled with energy just prior to the start of the America's Great Outdoors Listening Session last Thursday. Nearly one hundred youth from around Seattle gathered at circular tables, playing with the place cards, eating granola bars, and talking excitedly. No one seemed to know what was going to happen, only that we had been invited here by important figures from various park and environmental agencies.

The Urban Forestry Corps (UFC) is a continuation of a successful program that started in summer 2008 in which SCA had a crew of six Seattle area students working in Seward Park, Washington Park Arboretum, and Cheasty Greenspace.  In 2010, SCA will serve 60 youth in partnership with Cascade Land Conservancy, King Conservation District, University of Washington Botanic Gardens, Seattle Parks, King County YouthSource, Highline School District, Auburn School District and Seattle Youth Employment. Work-skill training and service will include watersheds and water quality, urban forestry, horticulture, data collection and monitoring, conservation ethics, stewardship and green job readiness curriculum. Youth will provide over 12,000 hours of conservation service.

In the City of Seattle, site locations include: Washington Park Arboretum, Seward Park, Cheasty Greenspace, Maple School, and Madrona Woods.  There is a similar program in south King County at New Start School in White Center and Metzler Park in the Green River Natural Area near Auburn.  The New Start site is installing a raingarden, creating a native plant nursery and performing restoration work.  In addition to being paid, the students at New Start are eligible to receive one school credit for math or science.  King Conservation District funded the New Start project.  The UFC is a new and innovative program that addresses the needs of urban youth and provides a unique opportunity for students to gain real life work skills while connecting with the environment.