On Sunday, January 16, Caleb Savage, Program Coordinator for Recreation Northwest, held a volunteer appreciation gathering and the first stewardship event of the year! At Recreation Northwest, we are fortunate to have a committed crew of people who are invested in improving the outdoor spaces in Bellingham’s community.
To celebrate the progress we made in 2021, we hosted a gathering for our volunteers with Woods Coffee and light refreshments to catch up on the news and events that happened over the holidays and to share our big plans ahead for 2022.
The strong foundation we’ve built through our stewardship events in Fairhaven Park continues to expand as the gateway to the Chuckanut Mountains becomes a better space for the community to enjoy.
This year a few of our goals include the installation of interpretive signs by native plant restoration areas, continuing in our mission of eradicating invasive species and improving the trail system between Fairhaven Park and 100 Acre Wood. We also have exciting plans to build one of the first outdoor classrooms in the area.
After having a chance to connect with each other, Caleb outlined the plan for the event:
Objectives for the day of service:
- Clear invasive Himalayan Blackberries and Buttercup in the Native Plant Restoration Area.
- Continued restoration work to decommission a social trail.
- Make way for new interpretive signs that are coming later this spring.
Cheers to all of the amazing volunteers who spent a day of service, giving back to help improve the outdoor spaces in our community!
Restoration Work to Decommission a Social Trail
Watkins Family tackling the social trail. Kathy and her son Anthony, transplanting a sword fern and moving woody debris.
Clyde, using gravity to help move a log.
Making way for new Interpretive Signs
Here’s a space where new interpretive signs will go. Albert, Kiara, and Ruth discuss their plan of action.
We cleared away fallen debris from windstorms.
Instead of hauling away the invasive species we clear from the site, we compost the debris on site to generate new soil. This also helps reduce our carbon footprint because we don’t need a truck or trailer to move the material.
Clear invasive Himalayan Blackberries and Buttercup in the Native Plant Restoration Area.
At every stewardship event we get to meet new people! Here’s Jonathan, a new volunteer, removing some invasive blackberries. He even brought a friend…
Penelope! She was a great helper and provided lots of positive energy for the crew.
Toward the end of the event, we checked on the native plants we transplanted in the spring of 2021. Anthony was all smiles!
Aaron in action clearing away invasive blackberries and buttercups.
We always have fun, and this event was no different! Ken is flopped over a large pile of invasive American Holly.
Giving Back to the Community of Bellingham, WA is What We Do!
We can’t help but ask our volunteers what motivates them to come to our stewardship events. The answer? “We love giving back and making our community a better place to live and play.”
Our Stewardship Events Can Not Happen Without…
Thank you to Ryan Robie, Interim Volunteer Coordinator with the City of Bellingham. He provides us with the tools we need to make progress.
Thanks to Woods Coffee who donated coffee to our Volunteer Appreciation gathering.
YOU! This restoration project would not be possible without the generous support of your donations. Please consider making a donation to help continue our mission to protect the spaces where we live and play.
Recreation Northwest is a 501(c) 3 charity. Our mission is to promote outdoor recreation and bring people together to enjoy, preserve & improve the places where we play.
Todd Elsworth is one of the many “Mossy-haired lunatics roaming the dripping peninsulas”, described in “I’m Here for the Weather” by Tom Robbins. As executive director, he works to fulfill our mission to teach the health benefits of nature, promote outdoor recreation, and steward the places where we play.
