Forest Steward Field Guide

Welcome to the Green Seattle Partnership (GSP)!

The GSP Forest Steward Program provides you the opportunity to be part of one of the largest, most unique community-based urban forest restoration efforts in the country. We have an ambitious goal to restore all 2,751 acres of Seattle’s forested parklands by the year 2025 — and with your volunteer efforts, we can achieve it.

This endeavor benefits both the environment and local communities. To date, the work of many dedicated Forest Steward volunteers has been substantial. GSP and Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) staff stand by to assist in making your experience personally satisfying — and your efforts highly successful.

While the thought of tackling invasive plants in your neighborhood park may seem daunting, remember that you have the unyielding and full support of the GSP program. As Forest Stewards, you will stand shoulder to shoulder with GSP and SPR staff, professional crews, other volunteers, and partner organizations to steward the land. You also play the vital role of engaging your community — inviting new people into the urban forest and providing them opportunities to engage in their neighborhood park. This Forest Steward Field Guide contains basic, yet essential information you will need to start and implement site restoration plans, and track your progress. As a Forest Steward, you will have opportunities to expand your forest restoration knowledge and skills by attending specialized training sessions. In addition, Forest Stewards at each park are eligible to receive tools, materials, plants, and crew assistance for your restoration projects through GSP.

Thank you for taking the lead to restore, maintain, and steward our urban forests. Your commitment makes Seattle an even better place to live. We look forward to many great years of cooperation and success!

Sincerely,
The Green Seattle Partnership

Field Guide Purpose ⚭

This Field Guide is a quick reference for Forest Steward volunteers on how to get started and proceed with community-based forest restoration at their neighborhood parks.

It does not have all of the answers to invasive plant management, community engagement, or species selection.

The best available science drives GSP work and is reflected within our current program policies. As urban forest restoration is a relatively young practice, GSP has had to build many of its own Best Management Practices (BMPs) to effectively complete field work and maintain a consistent quality of work across all GSP sites.

On a broad scale, learning and innovation occurs at restoration sites every day, the results of which are captured in formal documents like this Forest Steward Field Guide. BMPs are updated as new methods are tested and deemed successful. Remember: Your feedback is essential to our continuous learning process.

Regulations ⚭

Many of the habitats where GSP works, including wetlands, are ecologically important and sensitive. As such, SPR has a responsibility to comply with a variety of state and local regulations. The State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) was used as the basis to assess potential environmental impacts of our restoration program and to issue project requirements that are embedded in the BMPs.

The City of Seattle has determined that if city staff, its contractors, and GSP volunteers comply with the BMPs, as referenced in this Field Guide, then the program is in compliance with the regulations set forth in the city’s Critical Areas Ordinances (CAO). Individual restoration efforts are assessed for compliance through the aforementioned regulatory framework, but also could be subject to additional state and federal regulations.

Full Best Management Practice documents can be found by accessing the Partner Portal.

Explore More Best Management Practices

Why the Green Seattle Partnership? ⚭

Our Vision

Seattle is a livable city with healthy urban forests supported by an aware and engaged community.

Our Goals

A cross-section of the Partnership community led as members of a steering committee that was responsible for building on community input to set the 10-year vision, identify the pillars, and steward the plan’s development.

Throughout this process, Seattle Parks and Recreation leadership contributed valuable input and support.

In order for GSP to achieve these goals, we utilize volunteers, professional crews, community partners, and staff to advance our progress in restoring Seattle’s forested parklands.

FOREST STEWARD PROGRAM ⚭

Being a Forest Steward ⚭

Forest Stewards are dedicated and trained volunteers who serve as the backbone of GSP. They build a community of stewardship around the city’s public forested parks to safeguard their future.

Forest Steward Responsibilities and Duties ⚭

Attend the GSP Forest Steward orientation and attend at least one related training event per year for ongoing personal development.

Serve as key contact at a park for the GSP.

Serve as a Forest Steward for at least one year.

Coordinate volunteer forest restoration events and activities in your park; at least four volunteer events per year (of any size), where appropriate.
Manage event postings and material requests, sign-in sheets, and work logs on the CEDAR online data portal. (See “What is CEDAR?” on page 10.)
Participate in a biennial site-planning visit with GSP and SPR staff to agree on an identified plan for volunteer work.
A willingness to learn skills to support community based urban forestry.
Plan your restoration and engage your communuity with an anti-racist lens.
Maintain a positive working relationship with staff, volunteers, donors, and community members.
Stay in compliance with SPR background check requirement.
Follow Best Management Practices for volunteers working on SPR property, and the SPR Volunteer Code of Conduct at seattle.gov/documents/departments/parksandrecreation/volunteer/volunteerbehaviorexpectations.pdf.

Seattle Parks and Recreation Volunteer Code of Conduct ⚭

As a volunteer, you represent SPR. You must treat the public, park users, other volunteers, and SPR staff with respect.
Threatening or harassing behavior will result in removal from the volunteer event and could result in expulsion from the park.
Individuals must not be under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances while participating in volunteer activities.
Safety is of utmost importance at all times. Take safety seriously and consider the use of safe work practices for yourself and others as a personal responsibility.
Recognize parks as public places. All users have rights to the parks. Volunteer events are open to the public unless SPR staff has approved a closure or exclusive event.

What is CEDAR?

To simplify and streamline the documentation process for more than 1,000 volunteer events a year, volunteers use CEDAR (CEntralized DAta Repository), an online request and reporting website. Forest Stewards will receive a username and password, and be trained on CEDAR at their Forest Steward orientation.

The Role of a Forest Steward ⚭

This section is intended to clarify the role of a Forest Steward. It will help you get your feet firmly planted before you start digging in.

Steps to Follow ⚭

Attend GSP’s annual Forest Steward orientation.
To be set up for success, your restoration site should be:

Accessible (to volunteers and for materials/support)

Appropriate (for restoration activities performed by volunteers)

Safe (not too steep or located along busy streets)

Sturdy (sometimes wetlands or other sensitive areas are not the best choice for volunteers)
GSP staff will help Forest Stewards establish a site plan that identifies specific goals for ecological restoration.

Some parks already have a Vegetation Management Plan (VMP) established, in which case staff will help you interpret that plan. Staff will clarify what work volunteers can perform and identify areas that must be left for professional crews, such as slopes and areas in need of herbicides. Site visits will cover the following:

The history of any prior forest restoration work at your site.

How to set a timeline for volunteer events.

The best area to focus volunteer work in your first year.

What SPR-approved Best Management Practices (BMPs) to use to work efficiently and effectively.

Which plant species exist at your site.

A draft list of tools needed for your work.
Explore your site to understand its ecological conditions, including sun exposure, water features, wet conditions, and signs of wildlife.

Familiarize yourself with the site’s plant species and soil type (Appendix A). Visit the online GSP Reference Map to view streams, delineated wetlands, slope conditions, Target Ecosystem, and Target Forest Type expectations for the zone you will be working in.
On the CEDAR portal, post your event, set up online registration, and request tools and materials. Conduct outreach for your event using GSP printed materials, social media, networking sites, neighborhood blogs, and word of mouth. Print volunteer sign-in sheets and make sure you have the tools, materials, and snacks you need to run a successful event.
Pick up any coffee or snacks before your event, and plan to arrive early to set up. Make sure your volunteers all sign in and have work gloves. Use the Event Welcome and Safety Talk speaking points on pages 18–20. Thank all volunteers and celebrate the work accomplished. Clean and put away tools, and have volunteers brush their boots and shoes.
For each event you host, be sure to submit a work log and volunteer sign-in sheet as soon as possible. If you are working independently, please record and submit hours regularly. Timely submission of work logs and volunteer sign-in sheets is important for tracking and reporting monthly progress, and demonstrating this progress is key to attracting the financial, political, and volunteer support necessary to sustain the program into the future.

CEDAR will automatically send a thank you email, but you also could send personalized emails to volunteers to thank them and invite them to your next event.
Continue with volunteer events, reporting, and individual work. The work will change throughout the seasons and over time as your site progresses through the phases of restoration. You will gain experience, expertise, and confidence with each volunteer event.

Attend GSP workshops and training opportunities. Read up on the latest BMPs, and utilize GSP staff to help you grow in your Forest Steward role. Stay connected to the GSP and Forest Steward community through social media, the Forest Steward Happenings monthly email, and the GSP monthly e-newsletter.

Community Engagement ⚭

Forest Stewards often are the face of the GSP’s restoration efforts. You will interact with volunteers, SPR staff, park users, and the broader community. Community engagement tools are available to you as a Forest Steward:

Green Seattle Event Calendar. All of your volunteer events will be publicized on a citywide website and the City of Seattle’s volunteer calendar, by virtue of using the CEDAR portal.

Future Healthy Forest Signs. These temporary iconic green corrugated plastic signs let park users know a little bit about what is going on at the park and invite readers to participate in a volunteer event or contact you about your restoration project.

Kiosk Signs. Some parks have kiosks that are available to you to publicize information about your restoration project or invite community members to an event.

GSP Social Media. If you have a special event or an event you want to highlight on the GSP social media streams, send them to: info@greenseattle.org.

Youth Engagement ⚭

GSP has a specific goal to engage youth in forest restoration efforts and train the next generation of Forest Stewards. You can help us reach that goal in a number of ways:

Make your events family- and kid-friendly.
Connect with teachers and administrators at schools nearby your park.
Advertise your events as a way for middle and high school students to earn community service hours that many Seattle schools require.
Connect youth working at your site with GSP youth leadership opportunities, including summer job opportunities.

Planning Youth Events

A supervisor-to-youth ratio of 1:5 to 1:7 is recommended. Supervisors can be other Forest Stewards, teachers, or parent chaperones.
Prepare age-appropriate tasks for youth volunteers. Plan multiple tasks for a volunteer event so that you can be flexible if something isn’t working out well.
Provide appropriate-sized tools and equipment for youth volunteers, which can be requested through CEDAR.
Be prepared to provide snacks, or arrange in advance for volunteers to bring their own snacks.
Youth (under 14 years old) attending a regular volunteer event on their own need to be signed in by a parent or guardian or bring a signed youth waiver form with them.
Students attending a volunteer event with their school or with an organized group may have their own youth waiver forms. In this case, the teacher or group leader is considered the guardian and the youth can sign-in like normal. Make sure all teachers, leaders, and chaperones also sign in.

Event Logistics

Give older kids a chance to help lead younger kids.
Be mindful of event length. One-hour volunteer events are typical for elementary school students.
Celebrate work accomplished and lessons learned. Ask youth volunteers to identify one thing that they accomplished or learned during their work time.

Fun and Games

Pairs Planting. Have students work in teams of two for planting. Have them
identify their plant species with ID cards (if available) and make a mulch donut.
Friendly Competition. Have students compete to remove the largest blackberry root ball, create the largest compost pile, or pull the longest strand of ivy.
Scavenger Hunt. Select three to five leaves, berries, bugs or other items from your park and encourage the youth to find them throughout the event.
Bird or Nature Walk. Take a break from the work and walk through the park with the youth, pointing out interesting features like nurse logs, snags, bird nests, animals, special plants, and human impacts.
Math Skills. Engage youth in reporting by having them measure newly mulched areas, tally up plantings and ivy rings, or estimate the size of weeded areas.

GSP Introduction for Youth and Students ⚭

Here is an example of a script that can help you engage and inspire the youth and students who have arrived to volunteer at your GSP work site.

Today, you are joining the Green Seattle Partnership to work at [BLANK] Park. Who here has a favorite park in Seattle?

(Expect answers related to soccer fields, spray parks, playgrounds, etc.)

This park is a little bit different. Instead of soccer fields and jungle gyms, this park is meant to be a forest.

Who knows why healthy forests are important for a city?

Answers:

They absorb and filter rain water in a totally natural way.
They absorb pollution in the air and provide fresh clean oxygen.
“Take a deep breath in! Thank you, trees!”
They provide a living space for wildlife, like birds, and a place for people to connect with nature and the outdoors.

Does anyone know how much forested land is part of a Seattle park?

Answer:
3.9 square miles. “About the same size as 2,500 soccer fields!”

To improve the health of all of that forested land, we need the help of everyone in the city, “including young people just like you!” The Green Seattle Partnership brings together people like you and me to extend the life of our forests so that you can enjoy them for many years to come, maybe with your own children and grandchildren.

For additional activities and educational lessons for youth, visit the Washington Native Plant Society resource page at WNPS.ORG/EDUCATION/RESOURCES/INDEX.HTML

Business Engagement ⚭

Local businesses can help build your volunteer base, promote a healthier and cleaner forest, coordinate group volunteer efforts, and provide donations for your restoration events:

Invite local businesses or business associations to volunteer at your restoration site.
Ask local businesses if you can advertise your neighborhood event at their location.
Partner with local businesses to provide in-kind donations for your volunteer events, such as coffee, donuts, or healthy snacks.
Review a guide for engaging your local business community and utilize GSP’s outreach flyer by visiting greenseattle.org and searching: Business Engagement.

Race and Social Justice Initiative ⚭

The City of Seattle’s Race and Social Justice Initiative aims to ensure racial equity in city programs and services to make tangible differences in people’s lives. GSP is a program of the City of Seattle, and is working to increase participation of people of color in our forest restoration efforts.

GSP has set a goal to have volunteer hours completed by people of color be proportionate to Seattle’s race/ethnicity demographics as a whole. To measure our progress toward this goal, GSP asks for voluntary anonymous demographic information of volunteers when they register online, which includes race/ ethnicity. Forest Stewards may get questions about the demographic survey. View them as your opportunity to explain the racial equity goal for the program.

In addition to collecting demographic data at GSP volunteer events, GSP is working on other ways to meet the goals of Race and Social Justice Initiative:

Build individual and programmatic knowledge of institutional racism by hosting at least one annual Forest Steward training that focuses on the topic.
Build paid opportunities for minorities and underrepresented groups into GSP programming.
GSP’s Public Engagement Committee is tasked with applying an equity lens to all of our efforts and materials.

The 10 Essentials of a Volunteer Event ⚭

1 Volunteers!

2 Restoration materials, plants, mulch, etc.

3 Tools and work gloves

4 Garbage bags for trash and, if needed, as makeshift rain ponchos

5 Signs for posting at park entrance and sign-in table

6 Sign-in materials: volunteer sign-in sheet, extra youth waiver forms, clipboards, pens, etc.

7 Program and site information: your site plan, GSP brochures, dates for subsequent events, etc.

8 Work plan: clear goal of restoration work for the day

9 Safety resources: first-aid kit, cell phone, nearby hospital or clinic information

10 Water, coffee, and snacks

Volunteer Events ⚭

Each group receiving GSP support should commit to holding at least four events per year, if appropriate.

Volunteers can help with all four phases of restoration — from the initial removal of invasive plants to watering and maintaining plants.

Volunteer events vary in size, from a small group of neighbors to a larger corporate outing. Forest Stewards should post all volunteer events to the CEDAR online portal at least three weeks in advance. This is to ensure that there are no conflicting events in the park, and to allow GSP staff to better direct interested volunteers to your event and provide enough time to coordinate the necessary resources.

In addition to posting volunteer events on CEDAR, Forest Stewards are encouraged to do additional outreach to recruit enough volunteers for a successful event. GSP has created outreach materials that are available to Forest Stewards such as door hangers, kiosk posters, business cards, and GSP brochures.

Volunteers events are a great way to get work done in the forest, but they also serve as important opportunities to get people outside and connected to Seattle’s parks. Forest Stewards can provide a fun and rewarding experience for residents by being organized, friendly, prepared, and appreciative. To set up a successful volunteer event, prepare to have enough work and enough event leads for volunteers to get the instruction they need to do meaningful work.

Suggested work group sizes are 10 to 15 for adults and five to seven for youth and student groups. Each group should have a knowledgeable leader, who can be another Forest Steward or an experienced volunteer.

GSP staff and professional crews are available to help lead larger events, as long as enough advance notice is provided. Please contact GSP staff to request volunteer-event support. If you cannot accommodate an interested volunteer group, please ask GSP staff for assistance or direct the requester to another scheduled GSP event.

Be Prepared ⚭

At least three weeks in advance of your volunteer event, identify what work volunteers will be doing — and where. Considerations include:

ACCESS TO AMENITIES. Is the work site close to parking and restrooms? Will the restrooms be open for your event?

SAFETY. Is the site too steep for volunteers? Are there other site hazards that could impact negatively the volunteer experience, such as overhead dead trees, active bees nests, high traffic areas (bikes/runners)?

SKILL/EXPERIENCE LEVEL. Is this work appropriate for the skill level that volunteers will have?

SUCCESS. Is the work plan something that could be accomplished in a single event and provide a feeling of success?

SEASONALLY APPROPRIATE WORK. Is the work appropriate for the season? For example, is it the most opportune time to work in wet areas, install new native plants, work in brushy areas where birds nest? Consult the GSP Seasonal calendar to get an idea of what activities are appropriate for the time of year.

EVENT LEADERS. Are there enough knowledgeable leaders to support a larger volunteer event?
Create a list of tools and materials for your event to ensure that you have the right resources to accommodate your volunteers and get the work done. Request any materials, sani-cans, or extra tools through the CEDAR online portal at least three weeks in advance. Learn more about creating a tool list in Appendix D.
Conduct outreach to recruit volunteers and encourage online registration for the event.

Hosting Your Event ⚭

As a volunteer event leader, the Forest Steward’s main jobs during the volunteer event are to explain to the volunteers how the work impacts the forest, teach volunteers how to do the work, monitor work quality, and ensure that volunteers are working safely and enjoying their time. It will be tempting to dig in and do the work yourself, but a better investment of your time is to make sure all volunteers are doing quality work. Follow these steps to ensure you cover all important points.

At least three weeks in advance of your volunteer event, identify what work volunteers will be doing — and where. Considerations include:

ACCESS TO AMENITIES. Is the work site close to parking and restrooms? Will the restrooms be open for your event?

SAFETY. Is the site too steep for volunteers? Are there other site hazards that could impact negatively the volunteer experience, such as overhead dead trees, active bees nests, high traffic areas (bikes/runners)?

SKILL/EXPERIENCE LEVEL. Is this work appropriate for the skill level that volunteers will have?

SUCCESS. Is the work plan something that could be accomplished in a single event and provide a feeling of success?

SEASONALLY APPROPRIATE WORK. Is the work appropriate for the season? For example, is it the most opportune time to work in wet areas, install new native plants, work in brushy areas where birds nest? Consult the GSP Seasonal calendar to get an idea of what activities are appropriate for the time of year.

EVENT LEADERS. Are there enough knowledgeable leaders to support a larger volunteer event?
Create a list of tools and materials for your event to ensure that you have the right resources to accommodate your volunteers and get the work done. Request any materials, sani-cans, or extra tools through the CEDAR online portal at least three weeks in advance. Learn more about creating a tool list in Appendix D.
Set the tone for safety

“While we are working today, our main goals are to be safe, have fun, and get some good work done —

in that order.”

General safety reminders

“If you haven’t already signed in, please do so now.” (Pass around a clipboard, if needed.)

Let volunteers know that you have a first-aid kit and tell them where it can be found.

In case of a medical emergency, please call 911. You should have a plan for how to explain directions to your location for an ambulance in case of emergency. We reccommend you keep a printed copy of directions to the park, as well as a copy of the Incident and Accident reporting forms, found at: WWW.GREENSEATTLE.ORG/INFORMATION-FOR/FOREST-STEWARD-RESOURCES/ REPORTING-INCIDENTS-AND-ACCIDENTS/

Tool safety

Introduce what tools you are using, addressing all aspects of CUSS (Carry, Use, Safety, Storage) for each tool.

Remind volunteers to keep track of tools and to return them to an identified area before switching to a new tool.

Remind everyone that they should be wearing work gloves, which you are providing.

Activity and environmental concerns

Warn against heavy lifting.

Explain that no work is to be conducted on steep slopes, or even moderate slopes (show areas that are appropriate or inappropriate).

If your event is close to a road, inform volunteers that they must be wearing safety vests and no one should be working in the road.

Welcome water breaks and rest in the shade.

Be aware of ground nesting bees, and recommend that if volunteers get stung, they should run far and fast to escape other stinging bees; ask volunteers to identify (to the group or event lead) if they have a bee sting allergy.

Remind volunteers to not pick up items from the work site that could be personal belongings (tents, clothes, etc.).Remind volunteers to never pick up needles or syringes; notify the event lead so that the area can be flagged off and reported to SPR. HTTPS://GREENSEATTLE.ORG/WP-CONTENT/ UPLOADS/2023/06/GSP-SHARPS-PROTOCOL-HANDOUT-2021.PDF

Always wear gloves!

Identify known patches of noxious weeds that should be avoided, or if you are working in those areas, explain the need to clean boots, clothes, and tools before leaving the area. Show the location of boot brushes and explain how and why to use them.
Identification of invasive plants

Proper invasive plant removal techniques

Compost pile building

Proper planting techniques

After you demonstrate, ask if anyone has questions.
Identify event leads one more time.

“If you have any questions while we are working today please feel free to ask us. We will be walking around to be available to help you.”

“If you have any general forest- or park-related questions, let us know and we will do our best to answer them.”

Break up into work groups (as the last step or before the safety talk, depending on your group size).
Check in with volunteers to make sure they feel comfortable with the tools and the day’s tasks.

Redirect volunteers to a different task if they request a change or you observe that one may be necessary.

Remember that you are there to facilitate the event, not do all the work yourself.

Keep your volunteers busy and make them feel useful.

Thank everyone sincerely and often.
Wrap up your event a few minutes early so that you can have volunteers help with clean up, gather them together, and formally conclude by the posted time.

Have volunteers return tools for counting and cleaning.

Have volunteers brush tools and their personal footwear.

Thank volunteers for their time and efforts.

Ask volunteers for something they learned or enjoyed at the event.

Tell volunteers what their impacts were today (example: 200 square feet of ivy removed, 5 yards of mulch spread).

Share other opportunities for volunteers to stay involved (provide the date and time of the next event or reference the Green Seattle website to help out at parks all across Seattle).

Take a group photo that you can send out with the follow-up “thank you” email.

Tell the group how they can stay involved with your project and other Green Seattle events.

Reporting ⚭

Reporting citywide forest restoration progress is absolutely essential for gaining political will and financial support, and for adapting practices to ensure an ongoing successful program.

Event Hours and Work

After each event, go to your online CEDAR portal dashboard to:

1. Finalize sign-in sheet

Confirm volunteer attendance, add any volunteers on the sheet that did not pre-register via CEDAR, and then submit sign-in sheets.

2. Enter event work log

Calculate quantifiable work from the event and submit on CEDAR after each event. Be equipped to take notes during the event. The key metrics to be recorded are:

Number of volunteers
Number of volunteer hours
Invasive species removed (check list)
Number of ivy survival rings
Area (in square feet) of first-time invasive plant removal
Area (in square feet) of weeding
Plants installed (by category and stock type, not species)
Area (in square feet) of mulch spread
Plants watered

Individual Volunteer Time and Work

Your work and time contributed to park restoration outside of volunteer events can be captured in an individual work log on CEDAR. Please record your hours that contribute indirectly to the work on the ground such as: attending site visits, conducting outreach, or whatever you do to keep things running smooth at the park.

The individual work log can only be used for reporting work for yourself, not for your volunteers’ work or time. You can submit an individual work log after every trip to the park, or lump work and hours together at an interval that works best for you, such as weekly, monthly, or even annually.

Accidents

If you or any volunteers sustain an injury while working in the park, complete an accident report form and ensure that the injured volunteer is signed in on the sign-in sheet. If you do not have a copy of the accident report form with you in the park, take down the contact information of the injured volunteer and procure details after the event.

You can find the accident report form here. Submit the completed form to your GSP staff contact.

Incidents

If you encounter an item, person, or situation in the park that you think should be reported —please first contact your GSP staff contact. You can find the incident report form here. Submit the completed form to your GSP staff contact.

Ecological Restoration ⚭

Ecological restoration is the practice of renewing and restoring degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems and habitats in the environment through human intervention and action.

Ecosystem Renewal and Restoration ⚭

Ecological restoration is the practice of renewing and restoring degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems and habitats in the environment through human intervention and action. The history of colonization, logging, the presence of invasive plants, and urban pressures, and community feedback have guided GSP in the development of a four-phase approach to ecological restoration. This approach captures the key actions for restoring urban natural areas in the Puget Sound area. Additionally, this breakdown of phases aids our ability to monitor progress and develop site-specific management strategies.

PHASE 1 focuses on removing invasive plants for the first time.

PHASE 2 focuses on the planting of native trees, shrubs, and groundcovers.

PHASE 3 focuses on native plant establishment. Sites are weeded, mulched, and watered as needed. Some sites may stay in Phase 3 for several years to manage invasive plant regrowth and wait for new plantings to grow.

PHASE 4 focuses on long-term stewardship and maintenance, which includes monitoring for new populations of invasive plants, social use impacts, and other ecosystem health indicators.

While most forest areas will need all four phases of restoration, some with low levels of invasive plants may only need a quick Phase 1 sweep to prepare the site for Phase 2. If a healthy native plant community already exists, the site may graduate quickly to Phase 3 or Phase 4.

Considering Climate Change

GSP is well-positioned to help Seattle Parks and Recreation move forward a variety of climate change resistance and resilience actions. Current invasive species management efforts will continue to help build diversity, as will more recent efforts to use ecological thinning to accelerate restoration of long-lived conifer species. In addition, GSP is beginning to source native tree materials from more southern regions to support species through climate transitions. Visit greenseattle.org, search “climate” for more information.

GSP Reference Map

Each park that GSP identifies for ecological restoration is broken down into management units. These units, called zones, are various sizes but generally share site characteristics.

Available online, the GSP Reference Map presents important spatial data to support project planning, broken down by park and zone. Core data includes park boundaries, GSP zone boundaries, information on the estimated phase of restoration, and more. Using aerial images or other base maps available as part of the GSP Reference Map can help you explore past and current site conditions and consider the logistics of restoration implementation.

Reference Ecosystems

An important principle of ecological restoration is the identification of a reference ecosystem to serve as a guide for planning projects and a benchmark for evaluating success. A reference ecosystem can be an actual site or a conceptual site that is representative of what you want your site to look like in the final phase of restoration. There are seven different reference ecosystems, called Target Ecosystems, which we have identified for forested parklands in Seattle.

Nested within each Target Ecosystem are numerous Target Forest Types, which are common native plant associations that provide a more specific planting palette. These associations

are named by dominant and diagnostic plant species. GSP staff have assigned a Target Ecosystem and a Target Forest Type to each zone that falls in the GSP work plan. These assignments are based on site characteristics and some field verification. You can investigate the assigned Target Ecosystem and Target Forest Type by looking up your restoration zone on the GSP Reference Map.

The seven Target Ecosystems

Conifer Broadleaf Evergreen Mixed Forest
Dry-Mesic Conifer and Conifer Deciduous Forest
Mesic-Moist Conifer and Conifer Mixed Forest
Oak Woodland
Riparian Forest and Shrubland
Scrub Shrub Wetland
Bog and Fen

Getting to Phase 4

Once work on the ground begins, GSP records what restoration work has occurred and calculates progress. Progress happens as zones move through the four phases of restoration and as zones transform into the identified Target Ecosystem. Zones are moved into Phase 4 after GSP staff perform a verification process that ensures the full zone is on a trajectory toward Target Ecosystem goals.

Tracking Progress ⚭

Your restoration project story is told through the logging of information on what work has been done in the park—and where.

Telling Our Story ⚭

Work Logs (CEDAR): What restoration work is happening on the ground?

Your restoration project story is told through the logging of information on what work has been done in the park — and where. A work log quantifies how much volunteer and/ or crew time has been contributed in a given area, and the work completed. Work logs are submitted electronically through the CEDAR online data portal.

GSP Inventory: How much land currently is in restoration?

Each year, SPR coordinates a rapid ecological assessment of active restoration sites to capture current conditions and support work planning. GSP prioritizes about 350 acres of inventory each year. GSP inventory protocols include collecting data on plant composition, as well as regenerating trees and overstory trees.

Retoration Phase Mapping: What phase of restoration is this zone/site in?

To represent restoration progress, areas that have seen substantial restoration activities in the previous year are directly observed and mapped. Restoration phase mapping often happens concurrently with inventory data collection. The restoration phase information then is updated annually on the online GSP Reference Map.

Forest Monitoring: How is this natural area progressing over time?

While the GSP Inventory provides a rapid assessment of current conditions, the Forest Monitoring program uses permanent plots across the city’s forested parklands to provide a long-term view of forest change. Parklands are visited before and after initial restoration, and on a five-year cycle thereafter. The Forest Monitoring program has been collecting data since 2010.

The Long View: How should I plan annually?

Forest restoration is so much more than just a large-scale weeding effort. Forest Stewards take time to plan out the entire restoration cycle, identifying and accounting for any site-specific considerations before work on the ground begins. We even have an annual planning booklet written specifically for Forest Stewards, which can be found at greenseattle.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/annualplan/workbookfinal03)29)2014.PDF.

Seasonal Considerations ⚭

Although enjoying a generally mild climate year-round, Seattle’s four distinct seasons dictate appropriate and efficient timing for urban forest restoration activities. This guide outlines basic forest restoration considerations and recommendations for each of the four seasons.

Winter

Invasive plant removal is easiest in damp soils.

If invasive plant removal results in large amount of bare soils, cover with mulch or organic debris.

Native plant installation should be wrapped up by March.

Live stake plant propagation and installation.

Watch for early bird nesting and avoid working in areas of high avian nesting activity.

Spring

Invasive plant removal is easiest in damp soils.

Maintenance weeding in planted areas.

Avoid removing brushy invasive plants from April to July to respect nesting birds.

Wetland species can be planted in wet areas after flooding has receded (April to June).

Plan for fall planting by identifying planting location and organizing a species list.

Submit herbicide requests

for applicable invasive species for summer treatment.

Summer

Remove invasive plants.

Break down dried-up compost piles.

Water plants if available and/or appropriate (May to September).

Professional crews conduct herbicide treatment.

Restoration pruning occurs (mid-July to September).

Fall

Remove invasive plants.

If invasive plant removal results in large amount of bare soils, cover with mulch or organic debris.

Plants that will be installed in saturated or seasonally wet sites should be planted in September to October or March to April, outside of the wet season as much as possible.

Install native plants once rain is regularly falling (October to March).

Site-Specific Considerations ⚭

In addition to seasonal climate, there are additional site-specific considerations to factor into restoration planning in order to accommodate wildlife, people/ volunteers, safety, and wetlands.

Accommodating Site Needs into Restoration Planning ⚭

Bird Habitat ⚭

Once the forests are restored, they will provide superior habitat to invaded ecosystems. While sites are in the process of restoration, it is important to plan activities with the needs of birds and other wildlife in mind. Here are some suggestions for improving bird habitat while also being respectful of the current habitat:

Spend time getting to know your site during nesting season. Come before a volunteer event to look and listen for bird nesting activities. Become familiar with the birds that are nesting in your restoration areas. Use the nesting diagram for ideas of where to look for nesting activity at your park.
Avoid clearing work or large events in high value nesting areas from April 15 to July 31.
Avoid leaving sites barren for extended periods. Limit clearing work to areas where you can ensure replanting and establishment.
Minimize long periods of disruption to riparian areas and wetlands and their buffers as much as possible, as these areas are widely used by wildlife.
Leave snags and other habitat structures on site. Do not cut down invasive trees.
Consider continuity between restoration sites to allow for safe travel between populations.
Spend time with a SPR bird expert to get familiar with local species. Some great places to access and people to contact are Seward Park Audubon Center, Seattle Audubon, and SPR Naturalists. Attend their events!

SEATTLE BIRD NESTS

Look for… 1. Woodpecker nests in snags. 2. Pacific wren nests in log and stump crevices. 3. Spotted towhee nests on open ground under shrubs. 4. Songbird nests in healthy tree branches; chickadee and brown creeper nests in the crevices of trees. 5. Spotted towhees and Pacific wren nests in compost piles. 6. Robin, house finch, and barn swallow nests under eaves. 7. Kingfisher nests in streambanks. 8. Barn swallow nests in culverts. 9. Killdeer nests in open gravel. 10. Hummingbird and warbler nests in shrub branches.

Pollinator Habitat ⚭

Pollinators need safe places for nesting, laying eggs, and overwintering, ideally located within 300 feet of a food source. GSP forest restoration can provide quality habitat for native pollinators with careful consideration:

Leave it messy! Dead wood, leaf debris, rocks, and compost piles are all structural and nutrient resources for a rich and diverse insect paradise. Dead wood includes standing dead trees, downed logs, stumps, root wads, log rounds, untreated lumber, and chunks of bark. Place large wood in the shade and let fungus go to work
on it. Holes, peeling bark, or bits of wood may be utilized as lodging or housing materials by butterflies, beetles, and bees.
Compost or brush piles are great nest sites for bumble bees. If you need to flip a compost pile to pull out invasive weeds underneath it, first examine
it for signs of active bee nesting and try not to disturb if bee activity is observed.
Rocks provide safe and dark spaces for all kinds of invertebrates. Piles of rocks can provide overwinter refuge and cover for butterflies and bumble bees. If rocks are already on your site, it is more valuable to leave them and not disturb the critters already using them. If importing rocks to a site, consider making a few piles and placing them near plantings, as they can keep moisture in the ground during summer.
Spots of bare, undisturbed ground allow ground-nesting bees to make a home. They need a few spots that are un-vegetated and un-mulched, even better if they are sunny and gently sloped. Well-draining soils that are sandy or loamy are preferred.
Take care with soils. Excessive social trails, tillage, compaction, and digging can disrupt pollinator nest sites.

Wetlands and Wet Areas

Designated wetlands can be identified by searching the online GSP Reference Map. You

also can use the wet area decision tree in Appendix F to see if site conditions are consistent with a wetland or wet area. If a site has wetland conditions, please adjust restoration planning and implementation appropriately:

If there is a year-round wet area in the restoration site, limit volunteer involvement to small events of 10 or fewer people. If the wet area is seasonal, regular to large events are permitted when the site is dry.
If possible, try to work at the driest time of year.
If a Stewardship trail skirts or passes through a wet area, planks or duck boards should be used to minimize impacts to the soils.
Adjust planting timing to install native plants in the shoulder season (often early fall or late spring) when soils are damp or wet, but not saturated or with standing water. Native plants installed in standing water could float out of their planting hole.
Do not place compost piles in areas that become wet or saturated.

Access and Safety Considerations ⚭

Restoration, access, and safety intersect in both predictable and surprising ways.

Intersections of Restoration, Access, and Safety ⚭

Access Paths

Stewardship access paths create access to restoration sites. Not all GSP restoration sites have official SPR trails to move volunteers and materials to and through sites. In those cases, access paths need to be carefully planned and laid out, taking into account disturbances that foot traffic will have on your restoration site.

Access paths should travel through the center of restoration areas, not adjacent to them.
These paths often are inviting for other parks users. In fact, many people consider them a permanent park feature. To discourage use, keep paths discrete and close access points by pulling brush across entrances when not in use.
Stewardship access paths are for temporary access only. Once a site is in maintenance, trails should be replanted and naturalized.

Crime Prevention

CPTED is an approach to deter crime that was developed for the urban built environment. Based off the principle of designing spaces that reduce the opportunity and desirability for criminal acts, effectively applied CPTED principles can also make spaces feel more comfortable and safe to park users. With thoughtful planting, intentional pruning, and careful weed removal, these principles also can be applied to managed natural areas. See page 52 and 54 for CPTED considerations related to plant selection and placement, and pages 63–64 for CPTED considerations for restoration pruning in the plant establishment section.

Your restoration goal is to preserve the naturalistic character of the urban forest while also providing personal safety for all park users. CPTED guidelines are as follows:

TREES WITH HIGH CANOPY

High branching structure allows for clear sight lines, which are associated with a greater sense of safety and allow for visibility in and out of the park and to and from trails.

VIEW CORRIDORS

Open sight lines provide the ability to see and be seen at many entry points and along trails.

VEGETATION WITH TRANSPARENCY

Plantings that are open and composed of plants with varied heights will allow for visibility through the vegetation and reduce opportunities for concealment.

WELL-MAINTAINED SETTINGS

A more intentional level of care for trails, entrances, and critical locations not only helps manage vegetation, but also presents a sense of continuous

community attention and oversight that can deter crime.

COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP

Involving and engaging the community in forest stewardship provides increased opportunities for surveillance and provides a more maintained setting.

RESTORATION PHASES

Phase 1. Invasive Plant Management ⚭

Phase 1 focuses on removing invasive plants for the first time.

Invasive Plant Management ⚭

Invasive plants require thoughtful management strategies. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) should be used to help decide and develop your approach for reducing invasive plants at your site. IPM options consider weed biology, site conditions, and anticipated labor capacity.

In some cases, using volunteers to remove invasive plants will work great. Some plant species and populations, however, may require herbicide treatment that requires a professional crew to perform. Over several years, multiple methods of invasive plant removal often will be used. The City of Seattle is committed to using non-herbicide strategies whenever possible and strictly follows the citywide Pesticide Use Reduction Strategy and Policy.

Manual Removal

Manual removal techniques can be very effective and may be applied to invasive shrubs, vines, and herbs. Here are some considerations for manual removal:

Take into account habitat considerations when planning the size of clearing goals. In some cases, leave a portion of the invasive plants in place until the new native plants are established.
Removal often causes soil disturbance; make plans for covering bare soils before starting.
Place flagging around the perimeter of the work area to identify where volunteers should work (called “clearing limits”) to avoid impacting sensitive areas, especially during larger volunteer events.
Hand pulling is most appropriate for small herbaceous plants and some vines, while hand tools can help with shrub and vine removal.
Use tools of an appropriate size for the job to avoid stress on your hands and the tools. Stem-cutting tools include hand pruners for stems of less than 1 inch in diameter, loppers for stems of 1 to 2 inches in diameter, and handsaws for stems of more than 2 inches in diameter. Root-removal tools include hand tillers for herbaceous plants, and large picks, shovels, and Pullerbear™ (formerly called Weed Wrenches) for shrub roots, tree roots, and rhizomes (creeping rootstalks).
Be sure to maintain a safe distance of at least 10 feet between volunteers when they are using tools.
Demonstrate to volunteers the proper ergonomic use of tools.
Avoid pulling non-target plants. Spend time helping volunteers with plant identification during your work event.
Consider assigning one species for removal so that volunteers who are not as familiar with plant identification can become experts in identifying and controlling a specific plant species.

When deciding if an invasive plant infestation can reasonably be removed manually, weigh the full impacts of manual removal against other methods. These impacts include:

Soil disturbance.
The potential for scattered plant fragments to re-sprout.
The risk for composted materials to re-sprout in new locations.
Impacts from dragging and hauling vegetative material across a site.
The potential for increasing sediments in nearby water.
Impacts to wildlife.

Chemical Control

In some instances, herbicide use is our best tool to control a given plant species or population. Forest Stewards and volunteers never are allowed to do any herbicide application on SPR property. Instead, Forest Stewards can request professional crew support from SPR, which will review the request and coordinate any work that may come from it.

Erosion Control

For the health of the larger watershed and to prevent erosion, keep soils in their natural areas. The following should be considered before moving forward with invasive plant removal:

Volunteers are restricted from working on steep slopes. GSP staff coordinates all slope work and only professional crews perform it.
Utilize the “Steep Slope” layer on the GSP Reference Map to determine areas that are too steep for volunteer work. If you are unsure if a slope is too steep, reach out to your Plant Ecologist.
Wet slopes with seeps or perched wetlands present specific challenges, including an increased likelihood of soil erosion and the possibility of more deep-seated slope stability problems. GSP staff will help determine if wet slopes in areas that are not steep are appropriate for Forest Stewards or need professional crew attention.
Bare soils are more susceptible to erosion. Sections of bare soils and minimal canopy cover must be covered within five days. Leaves, downed wood or twigs, blackberry canes (cut to 2 feet in length), forest duff, burlap, and wood chip mulch all can be used to cover soils.
If sites are close to a lake, stream, or wetland (or even a drain structure), erosion barriers may be needed during invasive plant removal efforts. GSP staff can provide recommendations, materials, and crew support if needed.
On-site wood debris can be used. Lay or stake it perpendicular to the slope to provide some additional stability.

Composting and Weed Disposal

Have a plan for the disposal of weed waste before any plants or plant materials are removed. In some situations, we prefer that you bag and dispose of invasive weeds. You can coordinate the pickup of bagged weeds with GSP staff in the following situations:

If the plants are capable of re-sprouting from plant fragments (ex. knotweed).
If the plant contains seed parts that spread easily (ex. stinky Bob).

If the plant is toxic to people or pets (ex. poison hemlock).
If the plant is on the Class A noxious weed list (ex. garlic mustard).
In some cases, removing only the reproductive parts of the plant is necessary (ex. arum fruits and seeds).

Building an Onsite Compost Pile ⚭

Composting is cost effective, helps to leave organic material and nutrients where they belong, and provides excellent habitat for wildlife. There are two basic forms of compost piles:

SQUARE

Should not exceed 4 feet by 4 feet in area on the ground.

WINDROW

Should not exceed 3 feet wide, but can be as long as necessary. Windrows can be strategically placed along informal boundaries or run parallel to gradual slope contours to provide simple erosion control.

Square compost piles: Keep composting weeds from direct contact with the soil and allow air circulation to dry out and kill the weeds

Windrow compost piles: Can be placed strategically along informal boundaries

Steps for building onsite compost piles are as follows.

Find or create an area free of native plants and remove all invasive plants and roots. Clear the area thoroughly before you build your compost piles. Place compost piles out of sight from walking trails and roads as much as possible.

Never build a compost pile against the trunk of a living tree.
Collect and lay out a frame of downed sticks and branches from your park that will define the edges of your compost pile. If you are using burlap, lay the burlap down first, then put the frame of branches on top of the burlap edges.
Fill in the frame with dead branches and sticks found on site. Place them in both directions to form a grid. This helps prevent the composting weeds from having direct contact with the soil and allows for air to circulate under the pile.
Put pulled weeds on top of the compost rack. For square compost piles, do not stack weed debris taller than 4 feet. For windrow compost piles, do not stack weed debris taller than 2 feet. Do not let weed debris spill over beyond the frame. Separate invasive woody material, such as laurel or holly branches, into a different pile from herbaceous weeds when creating piles. The herbaceous material breaks down faster and can be redistributed sooner. Only weed debris should go in compost piles. Resist the urge to clean up the forest floor of all sticks and leaves. Not only does this create more compost piles than necessary, but decaying logs and sticks are an important component of healthy forest ecosystems.
Check piles throughout the year. Turn or maintain them as needed to ensure that weeds do not re-sprout.
Pull compost piles apart when all the material has dried out. This can take as little as three months to more than a year depending on temperature, moisture, and weed species. Dried-out weed debris can be used like mulch across your site, spread across the ground or concentrated around new plants. Redistribute sticks and logs throughout the site. Do not deconstruct piles during bird nesting season if you observe bird activity as some ground-nesting species use compost piles for nesting, foraging, and refuge. Feel free to leave some compost piles so wildlife can continue to use them.

Methods for Removing Invasives ⚭

The species described on the following pages are some of the most common weedy plants a Forest Steward will encounter in the parks. For the methods of removal described, “small infestation” refers to an area from which you can effectively and reasonably remove all necessary plant material (usually all above and below ground plant parts) given your available time, ability, and resources.

Invasive Trees and Shrubs

Place invasive tree branches and stems on their own compost piles, separate from cut and pulled blackberry and ivy, as they decompose at different rates.

Do not cut down or pull out an invasive tree unless you also remove all of its roots. If roots are left behind, they will send up suckers that will grow into many more trees, greatly multiplying the problem. Small, young plants may be hand pulled. Plants that are less than 1 inch in diameter may be taken out successfully with a Pullerbear™.

For any tree more than 1 inch in diameter, remove the lower branches to provide access to the ground around the tree. Then, submit a request through the online form for a professional crew to apply an herbicide treatment.

Do not leave freshly cut or pulled holly stems or branches in direct contact with the soil, as the cuttings can easily re-root. Make sure they are left to dry out on top of an onsite compost pile.

Woody Invasive Plants ⚭

Acer platanoides | Norway Maple

Acer psuedoplatanus | Sycamore Maple

Aesculus hippocastanum | Horse Chestnut

Buddleia davidii | Butterfly bush

Clematis vitalba | Traveler’s Joy

Cotoneaster spp. | Cotoneaster

Crataegus monogyna | English Hawthorne

Ilex aquifolium | English Holly

Populus alba | Silver Poplar

Populus nigra | Black Polar (Lombardy)

Prunus domestica | domestic cherry

Prunus spinosa | Sloe

Prunus avium | Wild Cherry

Prunus cerasifera | Thundercloud plum

Prunus laurocerasus | Cherry Laurel, English Laurel

Prunus lusitanica | Portuguese Laurel

Pyracantha spp. | Firethorn

Robinia pseudoacacia | Black Locust

Sorbus acuparia | Mountain Ash

Tamarix ramosissima | Saltcedar

Ulex europaeus | Gorse

Ulmus parvifolia | Chinese Elm

Ulmus procera | English Elm

Ulmus pumila | Siberian Elm

Invasive Removal Best Management Practices ⚭

Bittersweet Nightshade

Solanum dulcamara

Hand-pull the stem close to the ground and pull or dig up the roots, taking care not to break the slender roots. This method is most effective with young plants and small infestations. Manual control works best after rain or in loose soils. Recommended tools include shovels, spades, and hand tillers to loosen soil. When substantial manual removal is used in wet areas, take care to prevent soil erosion. Wear gloves when handling Bittersweet nightshade, as it can be toxic to people, pets, and livestock.

Fruiting plants and root balls should be collected and disposed of in the garbage. Composting root balls is not recommended. Stems can be left on site to dry out and decompose if they are in a dry area where they will not move into waterways or onto moist soil.

Clematis

Clematis vitalba

Create “lifesavers” or “survival rings” to preserve existing trees and reduce the seed source. Start by cutting vines at shoulder height, then again at the base of the tree. Then, remove all ivy or clematis from the tree, from shoulder to base. Grub out the roots in a radius at least 5 feet away from the tree. Do not attempt to pull vines above shoulder height out of the tree. They will die and decompose on their own, and pulling them down from high branches can possibly damage the tree.

Remove dense ground patches of ivy and clematis by clipping edges of the swaths, then continue clipping, digging, and rolling the tangled mat up into an ivy/clematis log. The rolling method works better for ivy because it grows along the ground and the vines and roots are more flexible. Clematis can grow up trees, down trees, and back up trees again, which requires following all vines to make sure the plant isn’t making contact with the ground. Take care to cut around or gently lift ivy/ clematis mats over existing native plants. If the ivy or clematis vines grow into thick woody stems that are too large to dig out, Forest Stewards can request herbicide treatment through the online form. Ivy and clematis can be composted on site.

English Ivy

Hedera helix

Garden Loosestrife

Lysimachia vulgaris

IMPORTANT: Purple and garden loosestrife is designated as a regulated noxious weed in King County. Please report to GSP staff all locations of purple and garden loosestrife that you identify, or report them online at KINGCOUNTY.GOV/WEEDS (Report a Weed) — even if you remove the weed.

Hand pulling of purple and garden loosestrife is only recommended for plants in sandy, mucky, moist, or loose soil. Removing hard, woody roots in compacted soils is impractical. If the plants are in flower or in seed, cut off and securely bag all flower heads. Pulling plants while they are in seed will disperse the small, lightweight seeds, which you want to avoid. Cut plants may continue to produce flowers later in the season. Regularly monitor them until frost, and cut and remove any subsequent flowers. Cutting will not control purple loosestrife, but is an adequate interim measure until more effective control methods can be implemented.

Care should be taken to minimize erosion when digging in saturated soils on shorelines. Brush off boots, clothing, and tools prior to leaving the infested area. All parts of the purple loosestrife plant, including flowers, seed heads, stems, leaves, and roots must be securely bagged and discarded in the garbage or taken to a transfer station. Do not compost or place in yard waste.

For larger or more established infestations where manual removal is impractical, consult with GSP staff for options. In most cases, controlling this species will require multiple methods over several years, potentially including herbicide treatment by professional crews.

Garlic Mustard

Alliaria petiolate

IMPORTANT: Garlic mustard is designated as a regulated noxious weed in King County. Please report to GSP staff all locations of garlic mustard that you identify, or report them online at KINGCOUNTY.GOV/ WEEDS (Report a Weed) — even if you remove the weed.

Hand-pulling individual garlic mustard plants is effective if the entire root is removed. Flowering or seeding plants must be put in a bag and discarded in the garbage. Carefully and thoroughly clean off boots, clothes, and tools before leaving the area to avoid carrying the tiny seeds to new sites.

Larger populations of garlic mustard will have to be managed by professional crews, so please notify GSP staff to coordinate the removal.

Hedge Bindweed / Morning Glory

Calystegia sepium

Hand pull at least three times per year (early growing season, mid-summer, and late summer) for at least three growing season cycles. If keeping up with all the bindweed takes more time than you have available, you may need to prioritize clearing all the bindweed from the native plants first, or at minimum, clipping

all the bindweed away at their base as they are trying to establish. Covering bindweed with sheet mulch can help weaken the bindweed, slow re-growth, and make pulling more effective.

Bindweed can be composted on site unless it is blooming. Shade is the best way to control bindweed. Plant conifers and other native plants for long-term bindweed suppression success.

For larger or more established infestations where manual removal is impractical, consult with GSP staff for options.

Herb Robert a.k.a Stinky Bob

Geranium robertianum

Hand-pulling individual plants is effective if the entire root is removed. Try to remove plants before the seeds form to avoid further distribution of seeds.

Flowering or seeding plants must be put in a bag and discarded in the garbage. If Stinky Bob is growing in a monoculture, then sheet mulching can be an effective way to smother seeds and root fragments that are left behind. Carefully and thoroughly clean off boots, clothes, and tools before leaving the area to avoid carrying the tiny seeds to new sites.

Himalayan Blackberry

Rubus armeniacus syn.
Rubus discolor

Blackberries have a large root mass in the first 6 to 18 inches of soil, and often have smaller roots that spread from the main root mass. All roots should be dug up as completely as possible. Blackberry canes and roots can be composted on site.

To keep compost piles tidy and volunteers safe from stickers, cut live canes into manageable pieces to stack on the compost piles before digging in to get the roots. With large volunteer groups, you can assign cane cutters and root diggers separately.

Before initiating blackberry removal during early and primary nesting season (February to the end of July), visit your site and watch for nesting activities.

Phase removal over time, if possible, to minimize eliminating all habitat.

Knotweed

Polygonum cuspidatum and other species

Foliar herbicide application is the most effective way to eradicate knotweed.

It must be performed by GSP staff or professional crews during dry periods from July to September. If knotweed is present, Forest Stewards can request herbicide treatment through the online form.

Volunteers are highly discouraged from removing knotweed patches as disturbance promotes growth and dispersal. Hand removal of knotweed is impractical and could actually exacerbate the problem.

Any fragments of the plant should be disposed of in the garbage. Do not compost this plant on site.

Poison Hemlock

Conium maculatum

IMPORTANT: Poison hemlock is designated as a regulated noxious weed in King County. Please report to GSP staff all locations of poison hemlock that you identify, or report them online at KINGCOUNTY.GOV/WEEDS (Report a Weed).

Removal of this plant is not appropriate for a volunteer event. Forest Stewards may request professional crew support to remove poison hemlock through the online form. If attempting to manually control poison hemlock, please note that all parts of this plant are toxic. You must wear gloves and long sleeves, and wash hands thoroughly after handling plants. Pull or dig up the entire plant, including the root. All parts of the plant should be disposed of in the garbage. Adding a layer of mulch to the area after it has been cleared will reduce germination of seeds still present in the soil.

Policeman's Helmet

Impatiens grandulifera

IMPORTANT: Policeman’s helmet is designated as a regulated noxious weed in King County. Please report to GSP staff all locations of policeman’s helmet that you identify, or report them online at KINGCOUNTY.GOV/WEEDS (Report a weed) — even if you remove the weed.

Manual removal is effective for small infestations. Pull or dig up plants in the spring or early summer when the soil is still moist and before the plant develops seed capsules. Make sure to remove entire root as the plants have a tendency to snap off near the ground and will re-grow if the root is not removed entirely.

Cut and bag all flower and seed heads, using sturdy plastic bags. Dispose as garbage, not in yard waste or compost bins. Stems can be left on site to be composted but only if they are first crushed and dried out thoroughly.

Do not let plant fragments get into waterways. This plant is notorious for continuing to grow after it has been pulled. It is very important to crush the stems and leave them somewhere dry, or leave on a tarp to prevent them from forming new roots and producing new flowers.

Purple Loosestrife

Lythrum salicaria

Reed Canarygrass

Phalaris arundinacea

Manual removal of reed canarygrass is impractical except for the smallest of patches (1 to 4 square feet). Hand dig when the ground is soft. Be sure to remove all roots and rhizomes because any left in the soil will re-sprout. Roots and rhizomes can be composted on site away from wet areas so long as they are not in contact with the soil. Monitor the site for regrowth.

For areas where reed canarygrass is dominant, one long-term control strategy is to shade it out. Shade won’t eradicate the species, but it will control it and allow for a more structurally and genetically diverse site. Install sheet mulch with several layers of cardboard or burlap and 6 inches of wood chip mulch. Do not install sheet mulch in areas where standing water is 6 inches or more in depth at any point in the year. Leave sheet mulch in place for at least one growing season. Monitor the edges of the mulch site for shoots coming up from lateral growth of rhizomes. Efficacy can be increased by removing above-ground plant material at — or just after — flowering. Conduct this removal with hand tools, and time it prior to laying down the sheet mulch. Any removed above-ground plant material that hasn’t gone to seed can be left on site.

After at least one growing season, the area should be planted with native species. Plant layout should be dense over the entire site, or in a clump-gap or row pattern. Fast-growing species adapted to wet areas — such as black cottonwood, red alder, and several types of willow — should be installed initially. Once they become established, a second planting of shade tolerant species — such as Western red cedar; thicket-forming species like red-osier dogwood, snowberry, and Nootka rose; and fast growing conifers like Douglas and grand fir (placed along southerly and westerly edges) — should be planted.

Scotch Broom

Cytisus scoparius

Hand-pull small plants and use Pullerbear™ to extract smaller plants when the soil is moist in spring. Note that disturbing the soil may cause germination of seeds in the soil. The area should be monitored to control any new seedlings.

Cutting can be effective on older Scotch broom plants that have a stem diameter of 2 inches or more. Cut plants in late summer to early fall as close to the ground as possible and monitor for new growth. Scotch broom can be composted on site.

Shiny Geranium

Geranium lucidum

IMPORTANT: Shiny geranium is designated as a regulated noxious weed in King County. Please report to GSP staff all locations of shiny geranium that you identify, or report them online at KINGCOUNTY.GOV/WEEDS (Report a Weed) — even if you remove the weed.

Shiny geranium is difficult to distinguish from other geranium species. It is distinguished by shiny, kidney-shaped leaves that have individual hairs and pink, five-petal flowers. Plants can be carefully hand-pulled or dug out before they go to seed, but take care to remove as much root and stem as possible to prevent plants from re-sprouting. Put all plant material in garbage bags to prevent spreading.

Never compost shiny geranium plants. Deep mulch should be applied to the site to limit seed germination and regrowth. Work with GSP staff to determine if fencing off the site from foot and paw traffic is appropriate. Monitor the site closely.

Spotted Jewelweed

Impatiens capensis

Yellow Arch Angel

Lamiastrum galeobdolon

Manual removal is generally not effective. Plants grow densely, sprout from root or stem fragments, grow easily among desirable vegetation, and are labor-intensive to hand-pull. For very small populations (less than 10 square feet), try continuous hand-pulling and revisit the site monthly. Sift through the soil to ensure removal of all root and stem fragments. This removal is easiest in fall through early spring. All plant debris should be disposed in the garbage.

Dense infestations may be controlled by sheet mulching. It is crucial to control any escaping plants, so regularly check for holes in the covering material. Stem fragments and roots can re-sprout if left in contact with wet ground. Forest Stewards can request herbicide treatment for yellow archangel through the online form.

Yellow Flag Iris

Iris pseudacorus

Manual removal can be effective for small infestations, especially for very young plants not yet established. Manual removal of larger plants is difficult and may require sturdier tools or saws to remove the entire rhizome. Monitor the location after you have removed the plants — new leaves will show you where you missed any sections of rhizome. Precautions should be taken to protect your skin, as resins in the leaves and rhizomes can cause irritation. Dispose of all plant parts in the garbage.

Improving Soil ⚭

In Seattle parks, we commonly use wood chip mulch (also called coarse arborist wood chips) to improve soil health at restoration sites. Wood chips help retain soil moisture, build soil nutrients and structure, block growth of weeds around desirable plants, prevent soil erosion, and moderate soil temperatures. Decaying wood chips mimic the decomposition that commonly happens in Pacific Northwest forests, improving soil bioactivity and plant growth. Mulching is particularly important for plantings that will not receive supplemental water.

Different Ways to Add Woodchips at Your Restoration Site

MULCH RING

Apply wood chip mulch in the shape of a donut around new or existing plantings at a depth of 4 inches, about 12 inches wide, and with a 3-inch buffer of bare soil around the stem of the plant. Two 5-gallon buckets per plant is usually the right amount of mulch for newly installed plants. Do not create “mulch volcanoes.” Mulch piled up around the stem of your plant, will trap moisture around the root collar, inviting decay and disease.

SHEET MULCH

For areas that had been dominated by invasive plants, especially blackberry, sheet mulching can help suppress weed growth and prep soils for future planting. You may choose to place one or two layers of cardboard or burlap on the ground, working around any desirable native plants at the site.

Make sure the two layers overlap so no openings exist for weeds to grow through. Follow up by applying 6 to 8 inches of wood chip mulch across the site. If you do not have access to cardboard or burlap, simply place a

thick, 6–8 inch layer of mulch on top of the ground. This method helps suppress weed re-growth, but follow-up weed maintenance will be required. Sheet mulching should not be used in areas with a strong native seed bank since it will discourage regeneration of desired species.

Other considerations

Do not use bark mulch, as this material contains a higher wax content than wood chip mulch and can reduce soil moisture.
To minimize the spread of weeds or possible contamination by chemicals, acquire wood chips only from SPR, not outside sources.
Burlap and cardboard for sheet mulching are not available from SPR.
Forest Stewards are encouraged to reach out to local businesses to procure these materials. Please ensure these materials are not made of plastic, and that they do not have any plastic attached.
For restoration sites with wet areas, wood chip mulch should be used only in wetlands that dry out during the summer and early fall months, or where invasive regrowth pressure is high.
When applying mulch near a stream bank, do not apply below the ordinary high water mark (OHWM).
This is the elevation to which stream flows regularly rise. It can be estimated by locating exposed woody roots along the stream bank where soils have been scoured away or by identifying where herbaceous plants do not grow. Mulch placed below the OHWM has a high chance of washing away during rains.

A Note on Compost

Compost generally is not used on GSP restoration sites due to cost but can be considered for sites that are extremely compacted and nutrient poor. Talk to a GSP plant ecologist for more information. Compost should be used only as a top dressing (1 to 2 inches on the soil surface with follow-up mulch to suppress weeds). It never should be used to prep planting holes.

Hugelkultur

Hugelkultur is a horticultural technique for building mounds, layered with logs, dead plant material, soil, compost, and wood chips. The mounds retain moisture, provide long- and short-term carbon and nutrients for plants, and can help diversify the topography of a site. Plants then can be installed on the top and sides of the mounds.

Phase 2. Planting ⚭

Phase 2 focuses on the planting of native trees, shrubs, and groundcovers.

Planting ⚭

Reporting citywide forest restoration progress is absolutely essential for gaining political will and financial support, and for adapting practices to ensure an ongoing successful program.

Timing: When to Plant?

In the Puget Sound region, native plants installed in the fall have the highest survival rate in forest restoration projects. The cool, cloudy days and frequent precipitation provide ideal planting and transplanting conditions. Forest restoration projects often are not in close proximity to water for irrigation and the number of plants often makes watering impractical. The earlier plants go into the ground in the fall, the more time they have to recover from transplant shock, adapt to the site, and expand their root systems before the growing season.

Exceptions to the Rule

BAREROOT STOCK is an affordable option for plant material that often is not available until late winter, so fall planting is not an option. Plant bareroots as soon as possible, or pot up plants to install the following fall.

LIVE STAKES (cuttings that can grow into new plants) are harvested when the plant is dormant but before bud break, so installation time can span between late fall and early spring depending on the species. For more information on planting live stakes, see page 61–62.

If your wet areas dry out during parts of the year, you will want to plant on either side of the wet season to avoid soil impacts (early fall/winter and late spring). Avoid planting when wet areas are inundated with water.

If soil is saturated all year, prime planting time usually is between late spring and early fall. To ensure plant establishment, do not plant within the two months prior to site flooding as plants can float out of their holes. Avoid planting at a site if it is under water.
If your site has standing open water at a depth of at least 10 centimeters at any time during December through May, avoid work during this period as it may impact breeding and developing amphibian species.

Selection: What to Plant?

Choosing the appropriate plant species is among the most critical responsibilities of Forest Stewards. Especially in the urban setting, Forest Stewards need to account for many considerations as they build a planting list. These considerations include: physical site characteristics; forest maturity; reference ecosystems; pollinator habitat; bird habitat; trail corridors; utility corridors; and crime prevention.

Changing climate conditions should be top of mind when selecting long-lived plant species. Please visit greenseattle.org search “climate” for the latest on plant sourcing and other information on GSP’s climate adaptation and resilience strategies.

Physical Site Characteristics

SUNLIGHT

Consider light conditions as they change dramatically through the year.

SOIL QUALITY

Reference Appendix B to understand the type of soil present at your site.

ASPECT (DIRECTION THE SLOPE FACES)

Certain species can handle more intense sun exposure, common to south and southeast facing slopes.

MOISTURE

Get familiar with the moisture levels and wet areas across your site. Observe the site throughout all seasons to get a complete picture of where wet areas exist. Note the toe of slopes or other areas where soil moisture may be higher.

EXISTING VEGETATION AND SURVIVABILITY

Identify native plants already thriving at your site. If creating a supplemental planting list, look at how previous plantings survived and select those that did well.

Forest Maturity

Some forest restoration projects are further along than others. For very young forests, you may need to consider succession planting to establish shade or enhance soil quality before “climax species” (late successional plantings) are installed.

Reference Ecosystems

The plant species list associated to your target forest type is a great resource to consult before selecting your planting list. You can find the name of the reference ecosystem and target forest type for your site on the GSP Reference Map. Of course, getting out to natural areas around the Puget Sound area to look at what plants grow together — and under what conditions — will help you build a better understanding of how to build a future forest. Appendix G Native Plant List provides growing conditions for common native plants.

Pollinator Habitat

Pollinators are drawn to the flower of a plant based on smell, color, size, shape, and the timing of blooms. Use the following guidelines when selecting plants to support pollinators:

SPECIES RICHNESS

Plant at least 10 species of flowering plants that fit your moisture, light, and soil conditions. Groundcover, shrubs, and trees all flower. Flowers don’t have to be showy to support native pollinators.

BLOOM TIMES

Consider when the species you select will be blooming. When bloom times overlap, from February to October, the availability of nectar and pollen is continuous. Aim for at least three species that bloom in early-bloom season, three species in mid-bloom season, and three species in late-bloom season.

STRUCTURAL DIVERSITY

A variety of plant forms (branching trees, thicket-forming shrubs, creeping groundcovers, etc.) will support a variety of insect and animal species. Strive to establish multiple vertical layers of plant heights. Where appropriate, include both annual and perennial species, as well as both woody and herbaceous plants. Even non-flowering plants, like sword fern, are helpful to pollinators because as hardy evergreens, they create structure. Flowers with a variety of different shapes (flat radials, cups, rounded domes, tubular trumpets, etc.) will appeal to different species of pollinators.

CLUMPING

Plant species in clumps, preferably in a rounded shape. Pollinators are more inclined to locate a clump of flowers, rather than individual flowers that are separated.

STEM TYPES

Plants with pithy or hollow stems (elderberry, for example) are helpful to cavity nesters, which burrow into the stems.

LARVAE

Larval host plants are critical for moths and butterflies. They generally lay their eggs on or near specific plants that hatched larvae need for food. Grass species can act as larval host plants for some butterflies and provide overwintering or nest sites for bumble bees and other beneficial insects. If appropriate, include at least one native bunchgrass in your plant palette.

Bird Habitat

A variety of plant forms, from tall trees and brushy shrubs to groundcover, provide nesting habitat for a higher variety of bird species. Even if you don’t see birds nesting at your site, they likely are utilizing it for shelter or foraging.

Increased plant diversity also provides birds with food sources — directly through plants that produce nectar or berries, and indirectly through plants that attract different insects for birds to eat.

Trail Corridors

For an official trail, the corridor includes the tread and the areas to the sides and above the tread. The standard trail tread width is 4 feet, while the trail corridor is 10 feet wide—3 feet on each side of the tread—and 8 feet tall. Consideration of the trail corridor in your planting plan will improve long-term success of your restoration site while also recognizing trail maintenance, which is coordinated through SPR.

Within 2 feet of a trail corridor, don’t plant material that will grow significantly higher than 18 inches. Plant trees at least 10 feet away from the trail. Take time to explain these considerations to volunteers and walk the trails after volunteer events to check for plants that are too close. It is easier on the plants to relocate them before they get established. Trail corridor standards do not apply to social trails or stewardship trails.

To identify the type of trail found in your site, refer to the GSP Reference Map “Trails” layer. If you have questions about the SPR trail standards, or if you are interested in volunteering to do trails maintenance, contact trails@seattle.gov.

TRAIL CORRIDOR

Official trail tread in Seattle parks are 4-feet wide trail tread (D) with a corridor that is 8 feet high and 10 feet wide (C). This influences not only plant selection but trail maintenance over time. Groundcovers can be planted near trail edges (E), while shrubs should be planted at least 5 feet from the trail (B), and trees should be planted at least 10 feet from the trail (A). Existing mature trees that are within 10 feet (F) do not need to be removed.

Utility Corridors

Aboveground and belowground utilities must be considered when placing plants, especially trees. Seattle City Light requires 10-foot clearances from overhead distribution lines and 17-foot clearances from overhead transmission lines. Woody vegetation should not

be planted within 10-15’ of utility infrastructure & associated hardware. SCL is subject to federal guidelines to keep vegetation at or below a max height of 12 feet, because of this, trees are discouraged under or near transmission lines and towers. Green Seattle Forest Stewards shall not plant trees within 30 feet of any power line.

For belowground utilities, an 811 utility locate should be performed & stewards should refer to the GSP Reference Map “Sewage and Drainage Lines” layer.

Belowground utilities and drainage lines may need to be accessed for

maintenance or upgrades. Choose plants that can tolerate disturbance or harsh pruning along these areas. Do not plant trees or larger shrubs on or adjacent to these areas. SCL requests no woody vegetation is planted within a 5-foot buffer of vault covers.

If SCL assets are adjacent or within stewardship areas, please contact SCL: trees@seattle.gov or (206)-386-1733 so that an SCL staff member can assess the proposed work & impacts.

Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) ⚭

Selection of the right plants is imperative to make your site safe and comfortable for park users. Choose species with natural adaptations and growth habits, while also considering how users interact with the space.

CPTED considerations include:

Place low-growing species near trail edges, such as fringecup, sword ferns, and low Oregon grape.
Place larger shrubs and trees with an ample setback from trails and from each other (at least 5 feet).
Keep densely growing and spreading plants away from trail and forest edges, specifically salmonberry, thimbleberry, native roses, snowberry, and red twig dogwood.
Adjust the placement of evergreen trees and shrubs to accommodate different visibility needs within the site. Corners and entries need a broader view corridor. Trails are safer when they have a sense of open space and good views of what lies ahead.

Spacing: Where to Plant?

Just like with selecting what to plant, figuring out where to plant is a critical responsibility of Forest Stewards.

Spacing refers to the amount of distance between installed plants, and it ultimately will determine how many plants you need to order. Spacing can be a difficult concept to grasp. Here are some concepts to consider:

DENSITY IS INSURANCE FOR POOR PLANT SURVIVAL

It is extremely unlikely that you will have 100% plant survival, so overplanting is better than under planting. Given our citywide goals, we want to avoid planting the same site year after year.

SITE CONDITIONS DICTATE SPACING

Areas with sandy soils or without water access should be planted at higher density, given the expected higher plant mortality rate. If your restoration site already has a healthy amount of mature and young conifer trees, you may consider selecting only a few for additional succession planning. If your restoration site already has a healthy and diverse shrub layer, you may not need to plant more and instead can focus on trees and groundcovers.

KNOW MATURE SIZE

Some plants can be deceiving when they all start in the same 1-gallon pot. Plants vary greatly in size once they have matured. Familiarize yourself and your volunteers with plant species and think about how big they will grow together in five or 10 years.

Although we talk about average spacing (as in the table on page 56), you should expect to plant more densely in big open gaps (with ample sunlight) and less densely around existing plants. It will never be even across the entire site.

The spacing table on page 56 is organized into plant type and desired plant density, indicating the square footage that each plant will occupy based on that spacing.

Ordering

At least once a year, SPR will offer potted plants to active Forest Stewards for their restoration projects. Quantity will vary based on budget and availability. Forest Stewards should plan on putting together a plant order in late spring (often mid-May). These plants will be delivered to your site in late October or early November. Forest Stewards also may procure plants on their own from grants, donations, or plant salvages.

Some years SPR offers bareroot plants. These are ordered in January and picked up at the annual King Conservation District Bareroot Plant Sale in March. SPR also sometimes supplies seeds for planting.

Plant Density Estimates ⚭

If you estimate the size of your restoration area, you can divide that size by the square footage to estimate the number of plants you would want in that area. After making these calculations, you need to factor in existing vegetation.

For example, if your site is 10,000 square feet and you are shooting for medium density:

Trees: 10,000 sq. ft.÷ 100 sq. ft. = 100 trees

Shrubs: 10,000 sq. ft.÷ 16 sq. ft. = 625 shrubs

Groundcovers: 10,000 sq. ft.÷ 4 sq. ft. = 2,500 groundcovers

PLANT STAGING (Clump-Gap Mosaic)

Plants of each species are “clumped” and individuals of the different species are randomly placed in the gaps.

Inspecting

Successful plantings start with good plant material. As soon as plants are delivered, you should inspect each one. Pull some plants from containers to examine the root ball for girdling or pot-bound roots. Use a clean, sharp pruner or hori-hori to sever girdling or overly matted roots. You also should watch for germinating weeds and signs of other pests or pathogens (spots on leaves, insect damage, etc.). If you observe unhealthy plants, please make a note of the species and communicate your findings to GSP staff. In some cases, GSP will decide not to plant them.

Staging

Staging is the distribution of plants across a site in preparation for planting. Since first-time volunteers and new crew members may not be familiar with each plant species, we recommend that you place plants exactly where they will be planted prior to your planting event. It will take one person about one hour to stage 50 to 100 plants.

For smaller volunteer events, or events with more experienced volunteers, you can consider having the volunteers stage the plants. Consider focusing on a handful of species at a time. Provide a few basic rules to follow, such as no planting trees within 10 feet of a trail or other tree. You also should provide, information about the preferred site conditions for the species—for example, a Douglas fir does best in a sunny spot. If volunteers are staging plants, you should be prepared to answer their questions and monitor plant placement closely.

The following plant staging patterns are frequently used: clump-gap mosaic, forest thicket, and row planting. There also are special staging considerations for shade-tolerant conifers.

Clump-Gap Mosaic

In this pattern, 5–10 plants of each species are “clumped,” sometimes with several groups of 5–10 plants of other species.

Between these clumps are gaps where individuals of the different species are randomly placed with wider spacing. The gaps lend a naturalistic aesthetic to the planting and supports pollinator habitat. This formation can improve plant establishment and makes maintenance easier.

Forest Thicket

This planting pattern is high density, with no large gaps. As this pattern grows, it quickly will shade out bare ground and fill in completely. This style of planting is useful to address areas that were previously heavily infested by invasive weeds, as it maximizes site occupancy by native plants. If weeds are not well controlled at the time of planting, this type of density may make maintenance more challenging.

Row Planting

In this pattern, plants are placed in irregular intervals along rows to support mowing, or irrigation lines and hoses. When possible, orient rows along contours of the slope to avoid unnatural looking lines. Plants are in clumps of five to 10, by species. The initial aesthetic of these plantings may appear formal, but with careful staging, the plants will grow into a more natural aesthetic. This method works well for sites dominated by reed canarygrass.

Shade-Tolerant Conifers

Plant shade-tolerant conifers in an appropriate microsite, within 2 feet adjacent to tree stumps, logs, or compost piles. These conifers are important priority plantings for forest restoration and, as such, are not subject to the usual spacing considerations, They can be planted within 4 feet of another shade-tolerant conifer and within 6 feet of any other plant species.

Installation

Proper installation is one of the most important things you can do to influence plant survival. When working with volunteers, take time to properly teach planting techniques, and spend time with them to ensure quality installation. It can be helpful to have volunteers work in pairs, to build in some redundancy and quality control.

Preparing the Hole

Planting too deep can cause the stem to rot and kill the plant, and planting too shallow can dry out the roots.

Clear away all loose materials, such as leaves, mulch, rocks, and branches from the planting area. It is important to install the plant into mineral soil, not just layers of mulch or debris.
Dig the hole wide enough to completely spread out the plant roots, without crowding or bending them. If you are planting a container plant, dig a hole that is cylindrical and twice the width of the container.
Pile soil in a cleared area next to the hole. Remove plant roots and grass clumps from the soil that you will be using to backfill the hole.
Dig deep enough so the plant, when set in the hole, will have the top of the root crown flush with the soil surface.
Use a shovel as a level. Use the level of soil around the base of a container plant as a guide for how to plant in the ground. To avoid soil settling, avoid digging deeper than necessary.
Roughen the sides of the hole if they appear slick or claylike, as it will help the new roots to penetrate the surrounding ground.
Incorporate a as much as one gallon of woodchips or mulch with the local soil when planting conifer trees or other woody species (but not madrone). This will help improve soil, sparking microbial activity.

Preparing the Plant

There are slightly different preparation methods depending on whether the plant is in a container or bareroot.

For Potted Plants

Tip the pot on its side and gently press on the pot to loosen the plant.
Loosen up the roots with your hands or a tool such as a hand tiller. It is OK to allow the potting soil to fall away to expose the roots.
Pull loose roots outward.
Cut or straighten any roots encircling the root ball or growing upward. These roots may affect the health of the plant.
Place the plant so that the root collar is level with the ground. When you fill the hole in later, the soil should be at the same level as it was in the pot.
Place the plant in the hole and arrange the roots so they point outward.

On a slope: Place the root collar leve with the lower edge of the slope

Burlap: Remove all burlap before backfilling hole with soil

For Bareroot Plants and Plugs

Keep roots moist until planting by storing them in moist sawdust or soil. In addition, you may soak them for one to two hours (but never longer than six hours) before planting.
Prune away badly bruised, broken, kinked, or jagged roots.
Make a small cone of soil in the bottom of the hole.
Arrange the roots around the cone so they all point outward from the plant.
Make sure the hole is deep enough for roots to extend downward without curving back up.

Planting on Slopes

Dig your plant hole deep enough so that the root collar will be level with the lower edge of the slope. Place the plant so it grows straight up, not perpendicular to the slope.

Backfilling the Hole

To backfill, use the native soil that was dug out of the hole, or from a nearby hole if more soil is needed.

Ensure that only soil goes back into the hole. Limit large rocks, sticks, grass clumps, leaves, or mulch.
Push soil around the roots, minimizing disturbance to the root arrangement.
Push soil down firmly to remove any air pockets. Gently pull the plant by holding the base of its stem to make sure it is firmly planted.
Form the surface soil into a small basin around the periphery of the planting hole to hold water, and adjust the soil so that water drains away from the immediate trunk area.

Mulching

Apply wood-chip mulch to the top of the soil in a circle at least as 12 inches wide and 3 inches deep, but not touching the stem. This mulch ring will help retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and provide nutrients as the mulch breaks down. Two 5-gallon buckets of mulch in a 4-inch-deep donut around each container plant is optimal.

Watering

If possible, water the plant immediately to settle the soil and eliminate air pockets. Add more soil if needed.

Adding Flagging

All installed plants should be flagged with the appropriate year’s flagging tape make it easier to find for weeding, watering, and monitoring. GSP has been using different colored and patterned flagging since 2007. For plants with year-round stems or branches, loosely tie a small section of flagging to a side branch. Do not tie flagging around the trunk or main stem. For plants without branches or above-ground vegetation at planting, tie flagging to a stick and place it in the ground near the plant.

MULCH RING

Image of tree trunk with mulch arranged in a ring around the base.

DO leave space.

Image of tree trunk with mulch piled around the base.

DO NOT pile mulch onto the trunk.

Planting Live Stakes (Cuttings)

Live stakes are sections of branches taken from certain plant species that, when installed correctly, can grow in to a new plant. Live stakes frequently are used in wetland and riparian restoration projects, but they can be successful in upland forests, too. Live stakes should be collected and installed when plants are dormant but before bud break, which could be from late fall to early spring depending on species.

How to collect live stakes

Use a clean pruner or loppers to cut upright branches of the parent plant. The optimal size of the stake has a diameter of ½ inch to 1 ½ inches, and a length of 1 ½ feet to 3 feet. Lengths and diameters may vary depending on species.
To prevent the stakes from respiring and drying out, remove any leaves and small branches after cutting.
When collecting stakes, cut back to the next largest branch or to the ground to leave the parent plant looking neat and healthy.
Make a flat cut on the top of the branch above a leaf node, with the leaf nodes or buds pointing up toward the flat top. A straight cut will expose less surface area of the stake to potential disease and insect infestation.
Make a diagonal cut on the bottom. A diagonal cut makes it easier to drive the live stake into the ground. It also aids in telling which end is up.
If live stakes cannot be installed immediately, store them in a bucket of water or wrap them in wet burlap to keep them from drying out.

How to install live stakes

A planting bar tool is often used to create a pilot hole for the live stake. In soft soil, the cuttings can sometimes be directly pushed in.
Place the cutting in the hole right-side-up, with the flat end sticking up and the diagonal cut driving down into the ground. Make sure that the buds point upward.
A general rule is to plant live-stake cuttings 18 inches deep, or for short cutting, at least half their length. Deeper is fine, as long as a few buds are exposed at the top.
Spacing of live stakes depends on the mature size of the plant and site conditions that could impact survival, such as moisture levels.

Installing Wetland Plants

Special considerations are made for the installation of plants destined for wetlands.
Keep the plugs in their packaging until just before planting.
When installing emergent bareroot plugs, the most common method for planting is to use a dibble tool to open up a planting hole in soft, saturated soil. If you don’t have a dibble, use a narrow-bladed shovel or trowel. Make a slit in the soil, levering back and forth so that the plug will fit into the slit.
Carefully install the plug, and then press the surrounding soil to remove large air pockets. Do not over-compact the soil.
Match the soil surface of the plug to the surrounding soil surface.
Plugs can “float” out of their hole if water levels rise before the roots have anchored into the soil. Therefore, plant at least two months before the date you anticipate the site will become submerged.
Mulch is rarely used when planting emergent plugs because the soils are typically moist enough year-round to support these species.
Flag installed plugs by tying the designated flagging for that year to a stick, and then place the stick into the ground near the installed plant.

Illustration of live stake installed in the ground.

INSTALLING LIVE STAKES

Some species that can be propagated by live staking include:

Cornus sericea Red-oisier dogwood
Lonicera involucrata Twinberry
Physocarpus capitatus Pacific ninebark
Populus trichocarpa Black cottonwood
Rosa nutkana Nootka rose
Rubus spectabilis Salmonberry
Salix spp. Willows Sambucus spp. Elderberries
Spirea douglasii Spirea

Cuttings

Live-stake cuttings should be pushed into the soil to at least half their length.

Phase 3. Plant Establishment ⚭

Phase 3 focuses on native plant establishment. Sites are weeded, mulched, and watered as needed. Some sites may stay in Phase 3 for several years to manage invasive plant regrowth and wait for new plantings to grow.

Plant Establishment ⚭

Most plants require at least three years of establishment care to ensure plant survival. Although native plants are adapted to our dry summer climate, installed container and transplanted plants both experience transplant shock that affects root and shoot health.

Volunteers can do a lot to ensure plantings survive and thrive in their first years, including: replenishing mulch rings, watering, removing invasive plants, and supplemental planting

or plant replacement (if needed). Remember that not all plants are expected to survive, which is accounted for in your planting plan density.

Establishment is going well if you have at least 80% survival.

Watering

We tend to not water our restoration sites, due to access or practicality.

Connecting to an existing irrigation system or installing a temporary gravity-fed cistern may be a possibility, however, depending on your site location and conditions. Volunteers also may transport water from the nearest source with buckets or watering

cans. Coordinate with GSP staff before planting to discuss irrigation options.
Ideally, you want to saturate each plant with two gallons of water every one to two weeks, from June through September, for the first two years after planting.

Pruning

Restoration sites may need some tweaking as time progresses. Pruning can help tame plants installed in a less-than-ideal site, and can help make room for slower-growing conifers.

Removal and/or Relocation

Remove plants that are too large, cannot be fixed by pruning, or have growth habits that are incompatible with the trailside. Native plants, including seedlings of large plants that crop up, can be transplanted to a better location during the dormant (winter) season.

Restoration Pruning

Avoid shearing and heading cuts along trail sides, as they promote dense hedges that are incompatible with CPTED principles.

A light, late summer pruning (mid-July to September) results in a more subdued growth response, which is more desirable. Be sure to not prune more than one-quarter of living plant. Two types of pruning cuts are “reduction” and “removal”:< >Reduction cuts shorten the length of a stem by cutting to a lateral branch large enough to serve as the new, shorter leader. Choose a lateral branch that is at least one-third thediameter of the main stem (See above, A). Removal cuts remove an entire branch at its point of attachment. These cuts are made at the branch collar on trees and larger shrubs (B), and down to the root crown for multi-stem shrubs and cane plants (C).

Image illustrates the places on shrubs where reduction and removal cuts are safe.

Releasing Conifers

Utilizing reduction or removal cuts, prune back native plants 5 feet from around smaller conifer trees to allow for greater light and airflow.

Tree Pruning

If medium to larger trees already are growing into to the trail, or will soon, prune lower branches to create overhead clearance. This is best done when branches are less than 2 inches in diameter. Place cuts at the branch collar and don’t leave stubs. Cut branches all the way around the trunk — prune even those sides not growing into the trail.

The remaining branch area after pruning should cover at least two-thirds of the total height of the tree.

Phase 4. Long-Term Stewardship
and Maintenance ⚭

Phase 4 focuses on long-term stewardship and maintenance, which includes monitoring for new populations of invasive plants, social use impacts, and other ecosystem health indicators.

Long-Term Stewardship and Maintenance ⚭

After a restoration site has gone through invasive removal and planting, and the trees, shrubs, and groundcover are established, the zone may be a candidate for moving into the fourth and final phase of restoration: Long-term Stewardship and Maintenance. The decision to move a zone into Phase 4 is important because it helps the program shift attention and resources to the next restoration sites.

GSP staff use forest assessment data to evaluate a site’s ecological health, along with a field visit to verify on-the-ground conditions. Using values specific to the identified Target Ecosystem,

staff can measure how a GSP zone is progressing on seven criteria:

Native tree regeneration
Regenerating native tree diversity
Canopy cover
Shrub and groundcover density
Shrub and groundcover diversity
Invasive cover
Woody invasive regeneration

Be in touch with GSP staff if you’d like to nominate your park for Phase 4 verification. Remember, the entire zone must be ready to move into Phase 4 (not just your site), and there must not be any presence of Class A Noxious Weeds (weeds required for control annually, such as garlic mustard). Once your site is in Phase 4, your volunteer tasks and approach to hosting volunteer events may shift. In fact, Phase 4 stewardship and maintenance may occur just once a year and as little as once every five years, depending on your site conditions. We expect Forest Stewards of Phase 4 zones to:

Sweep through sites looking for new or returning invasive plants. This can be accomplished by coordinating a small or medium volunteer event to search for specific plants that are a problem at the site. Alternatively, you can have volunteers spread out and walk through a site, looking for any and all invasive species. We often see ivy and holly/laurel in the interior of a zone that is seeding in. Where parks property meets adjacent properties, be on the watch for garden-variety invasives finding their way into the park. This work requires a keen eye for identifying species. Be prepared to share photos or identification cards with volunteers, or plan the event for a small group of experienced volunteers.
Bring flagging to mark problem areas or to mark specific invasive plants for future treatment. (SPR staff can provide the flagging.) Consider capturing the GPS coordinates (using a map app on a smart phone) and taking photos for easier follow-up and communication with GSP staff.
Monitor the zone for social-use impacts that need to be addressed through restoration (for example, off-trail hiking).
Monitor forest health issues, such as pockets of root rot or storm damage.
Develop planting projects to address these impacts.

Other Park Activities

Forest Stewards often are the eyes and ears on the park and notice issues and opportunities that fall outside the purview of GSP forest restoration.

Litter Removal

If restoration work uncovers litter or other garbage, volunteers may collect it. If the garbage isn’t a great volume, volunteers are encouraged to dispose of it in trashcans if they are on site. If there are no cans or the collected garbage is of considerable volume, then the garbage should be bagged up. Notify a GSP staff person to arrange for pickup. Place collected bags in a location where SPR staff can collect it easily, out of sight as much as possible so as to not encourage more dumping.

SPR Trails

The SPR Trails Program manages the installation and maintenance of official trails — gravel and soft surface—that navigate through natural areas and forests throughout Seattle’s parks system. Forest Stewards and volunteers are welcome to keep the trails free of debris and vegetation. If you or your volunteers are interested in work to install or improve official SPR trails (not stewardship access paths), contact: trails@seattle.gov.

Dealing with Dogs Off-Leash

While it is not your duty as a Forest Steward to regulate off-leash dog use in parks, you may consider some of these techniques to protect the restoration area.
Use signs or fencing, when appropriate, to educate and designate areas where dogs are not allowed.
Lay branches or rocks to designate protected areas and deter access from people and animals. Do so in a way that mimics downed wood and branches. Avoid lining the trail with material that may keep water on the trail tread.
Consider leaving a temporary buffer of weeds (for example, 3 feet of blackberry) in front of your restoration site to keep dogs out while new plantings are getting established.
If the problem persists, you can contact Animal Control at 206-386-7387 or file a complaint online at: seattle.gov/customerservice/request.html. Animal Control will ask for a description of the dog, the owner, and a license plate number (if available).

People Living in Seattle Parks

Leave camps and personal items in place. It is unlawful to remove personal belongings from a park. Do not approach camps, and be mindful of your own personal safety and that of your volunteers.
You may report unauthorized camping in a park by contacting the City of Seattle Customer Service Bureau: seattle.gov/customerservice-bureau; 206-684-CITY (2489); or through the Find it, Fix it service request mobile app. Additionally, send an email to your plant ecologist with detailed information about what you reported. Please include a simple map and photo, and list any potential hazards or other relevant information. Follow up by contacting GSP staff with similar information so they can work with SPR to resolve any conflicts.

Needles and Syringes

Before starting your volunteer event, sweep your work site for needles, syringes, and other discarded sharp-pointed devices. If you find any, limit access to the area by flagging off the site. Place a pot over the needle or syringe, if possible. Forest stewards and volunteers are discouraged from removing any discarded needles and syringes that you find. Instead, report your findings to the SPR Maintenance Request Line at 206-684-7250, or on the Find it, Fix it mobile app. SPR staff will arrive to clean up the site as soon as possible.
If you or a volunteer is pricked by a needle during an event, transport yourself or your volunteer to the hospital, and bring the needle. File an accident report as soon as possible with SPR staff.

How to Request a Park Ranger for Assistance

Our park ranger program recently expanded to all parks; previously, rangers were patrolling downtown parks only. Their roles are to promote voluntary compliance by educating the public about the Parks Code and Parks rules and to deter negative activity through a uniformed, diplomatic, and authoritative presence.
To request a park ranger for assistance, please email or call the work-order line at (206) 684-7250.
Please note: if you need immediate law-enforcement help or are experiencing a life-threatening event, please call 9-1-1.