Boosting Urban Habitat and Climate Resilience in King County
Have you ever wondered what can help create healthier ecosystems for wildlife, plants, salmon, and people in urban cities? By removing non-native plants, planting trees, and providing long-term stewardship, the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust and our partners are restoring habitats for future generations. Here’s a look at some of our restoration projects in King County, exploring how they improve urban wildlife habitats, create more green space, and strengthen climate resilience.
Ballinger Open Space: Restoring Urban Forests, Feeding Gorillas, and Sequestering Carbon
Starting in the city of Shoreline, the Greenway Trust and its partners are helping restore urban forests and improve access to green space at Ballinger Open Space. Pollution, stormwater runoff, and human activity have impacted this 2.6-acre site because of its proximity to I-5 and I-405. Before this work began, the area was covered in non-native plants, lacked native vegetation, and had little tree canopy. Since 2018, Greenway Trust crews have focused on removing non-native species, creating space to plant more than 2,800 native trees and shrubs. Did you know that blackberry canes removed from this site help feed gorillas at the Woodland Park Zoo?
As the plantings grow, they provide habitats for local wildlife, sequester carbon, protect against erosion, keep cities cool, and support stormwater management. Increased access to green areas creates healthier communities by promoting physical activity, reducing stress, boosting mental health, and connecting people to nature. Work will continue here until 2040, when the native trees are fully established. We are committed to restoring a thriving urban forest for generations to enjoy at Ballinger Open Space—one tree at a time!
Foresting Seattle: Growing Healthy Urban Forests
In Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood, you can find the Greenway Trust helping grow urban forests through the Foresting Seattle initiative. This project aims to restore over 60 acres of forest and plant more than 10,000 trees in neighborhoods experiencing low tree canopy, higher summer temperatures, and more air pollution compared to other areas of the city. The Greenway Trust is focusing on restoration at two sites—Rainier Vista and Rising Star Elementary School—in collaboration with Seattle Parks and Recreation, Green Seattle Partnership, ECOSS, residents, and youth.
The project is in year three of a five-year grant. Current efforts have focused on removing non-native plants, including common ivy, introduced blackberry, and common holly. So, what’s next for this project? Starting this fall, Greenway Trust crews will begin phased restoration, including continued weed removal and planting 2,000 native species across both sites.
The health of urban forests impacts the health of their surrounding communities. In Seattle, tree canopy cover is not equitable, as some neighborhoods have less cover and access to trees, while also experiencing greater levels of canopy loss. Planting trees at these sites will help grow urban forests, which provide shade, improve air quality, reduce heat island effects, and mitigate impacts of climate change. This work is creating healthier, greener, and more equitable neighborhoods in Seattle.
Cedar River: Restoring Critical Salmon Habitats
The Cedar River is a 45-mile-long waterway that provides a key spawning ground for threatened Chinook salmon, supports wildlife habitats, and sustains the residents and communities of this region. Since time immemorial, native people have been deeply connected to this waterway through fishing and living on lands within the Cedar River Basin. This river also makes up the majority of the Cedar River Watershed, which supplies drinking water to the greater Seattle area.
For over a decade, in partnership with King County, landowners, volunteers, and residents, the Greenway Trust has helped restore this vital salmon habitat and improve riparian resiliency in the Cedar River. Together, we’ve restored 22 miles of riverbank, planted over 6,593 native trees and shrubs, and removed non-native species like knotweed. Knotweed is a noxious weed that needs targeted removal and treatment, since even small traces can regrow and rapidly spread throughout the river with flooding. This work is not only supporting the survival of threatened salmon populations, but it also creates healthier waterways, strengthens the river’s ability to mitigate impacts of flooding and climate change, and helps protect urban communities.
Snoqualmie River RV Park: Supporting Salmon Recovery
Formerly an RV park, this 15-acre site is located in Fall City along the Snoqualmie River. The Greenway Trust has been restoring this critical salmon habitat over the past six years. Crew and volunteers have removed more than 13 acres of non-native plants and added over 7,255 native trees and shrubs. Current efforts continue to support non-native species removal and add new plantings throughout the site. This summer, volunteers helped clear and grub non-native blackberry growing around the native plants.
This site is also part of an ongoing effort to engage local youth in restoration and environmental stewardship. For the past two years, high school students interning with the Youth Engaged in Sustainable Systems (YESS) program have joined the Greenway Trust crew for weed removal, gaining hands-on experience and building their skills in restoration ecology. This program is one way the Greenway Trust is helping connect youth to stewarding local habitats.
Tanner Landing Park: Restoring Riparian Buffers
Known as the “Gateway to the Middle Fork,” Tanner Landing Park lies along the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River near the start of the Middle Fork Road. The park offers visitors a trail with easy river access, picnic spots, and open fields for enjoying views of Mount Si, Little Si, and Rattlesnake Ledge. But this area is also hot, windy, and susceptible to erosion, making it a harsh environment for establishing plants.
Since 2024, Greenway Trust crews have worked to restore the riparian buffer at this King County Parks site. To do this, they remove non-native species, including common ivy, Scotch broom, and introduced blackberry, and plant drought-tolerant trees, such as Shore pine and Douglas fir. So far, crew members have planted 1,200 native trees and shrubs here! They plant faster-growing trees first to increase shade and then later add conifer trees to continue supporting biodiversity.
These improvements at Tanner Landing impact downstream areas, as the Snoqualmie River flows throughout the rest of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Valley. This work strengthens the riparian buffer, helping reduce erosion, improve water quality, and create habitats for salmon and wildlife. Rebuilding healthy riparian zones also decreases the risks and impacts of flooding, which damaged trails and recreational areas such as Camp Brown Day Use Area last winter.
These restoration projects are part of our commitment to enhance and protect the landscapes and habitats across the Greenway NHA. This impactful work is made possible through the support of partners, agencies, and dedicated volunteers. Want to get involved and help restore local habitats? Sign up for our e-newsletter list to hear about upcoming restoration events or consider donating to support projects like these.
