Potting and Planning for Future Forests

NAAAP-Seattle ventured outside the city and into Lake Sammamish State Park to volunteer for the first time with Seattle Works and Mountain to the Sound Greenway on a chilly but sunny Saturday morning, March 5.

Seattle Works is a non-profit that connects people with volunteer opportunities. The Mountains to Sound Greenway stretches over 100 miles along Interstate 90 from the shores of Puget Sound in Seattle, over Snoqualmie Pass and into Central Washington. The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust aims to protect these lands and preserve them for public benefit.

NAAAP volunteers included John Park, Dan Hu, Jaydee Ocon, Steve Yao, Rick Fok, as well as Community Service Chair Jenafer Park, Technology Chair Sherwin Tsao, and PR/Marketing Chair Julie Pham.

First-time NAAAP event- goer Ricky Fok learned about the event through NAAAP-Seattle member Steve Yao.

But Fok is no stranger to outdoors community service. “I like being outdoors and doing outdoor manual work,” said Fok. “Today, the weather was fine and the people were friendly, so it made the work easy. I would definitely volunteer with NAAAP again.”

Dan Hu said he’s been to NAAAP events on and off over the past few years.

“I look forward to getting back to doing more community service with NAAAP,” said Hu.

Jema Hayes, Mountain to the Sound Greenway Volunteer Program Coordinator, said the activities at the nursery are done with 95% volunteer power.

According to Hayes, 41 volunteers that morning potted approximately 1040 trees in 2.5 hours. Aside from potting Red Alders, Vine Maples, and Douglas Firs into 1- and 2-gallon pots, the volunteers clipped roots, shoveled soil, and pruned seedlings. The trees will grow in the pots at the nursery for 1-2 years before being planted in parks and forests along I-90.

NAAAP-Seattle's Tips for those considering volunteering at Mountain to Sound Greenway:
1) wear lots of layers because you will get warmer with work
2) wear old clothes because you will get very dirty
3) bring a pair of knit or leather gloves to wear under the thin gardening gloves provided for extra insulation
4) your shoes will get very muddy, so bring newspapers to protect your car floor mats.

Hayes said that they are still looking for volunteers for next Saturday, March 13 to plant more trees. The snow days set the planting back this spring. For more information, please email Hayes at volunteer@mtsgreenway.org

On March 26, NAAAP-Seattle will continue their outdoors volunteer adventures at Marra Farms. For more information and to sign-up, please email Jenafer Park jenafer.park@naaapseattle.org.