By Todd Burley The climate is changing, this is clear. According to the 2021 Climate Change: The Physical Science Basis report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, “It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land. Widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere… [ Keep reading ]
By Greg Van Hollebeke, Rocky Tharp, Michael Yadrick, and Todd Burley When most people think of parks, they don’t initially picture golf courses, but Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) manages four courses – West Seattle, Interbay, Jefferson, and Jackson Golf Courses – that provide recreational opportunities for many. In fact,… [ Keep reading ]
By Karen Galt and Todd Burley Plants need water, and those that are subject to heavy use like turf grasses require even more to remain healthy. Every year, Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) uses nearly 176 million gallons of water for irrigation in our 6,414-acre park system! We work daily… [ Keep reading ]
By Nicholas Johnson and Todd Burley While walking through your favorite park you may come across a pile of mulch where there used to be a tree. What happened? You liked that tree! Isn’t Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) trying to add trees, not take them down? Maybe you notice a large cedar… [ Keep reading ]
By Todd Burley If you are out and about in some of our parks, you might notice longer grass in areas where it was usually mowed. This is intentional! Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is piloting a shift in our turf management practices to improve habitat for declining pollinators, save… [ Keep reading ]
By Michael Yadrick, Lisa Ciecko, and Todd Burley People have always had a relationship with Seattle’s forests, although it has shifted over time. This past year, with the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting social isolation, has underscored how essential the 2,754 acres of natural areas in Seattle are to our health… [ Keep reading ]
By Mike Schwindeller, David Graves, and Todd Burley A look at a satellite view of Seattle will reveal several long strips of forest that to many are unknown and underappreciated. These linear green spaces exist in part due to the hilly geography of Seattle, as most are on steep slopes… [ Keep reading ]
By Todd Burley and Craig Chatburn The ground we all walk on is not just dirt, it is a complex network of relationships that is the foundation of our ecosystem. Soil is brimming with life, made up of a combination of organic and inorganic matter, fungi, insects, bacteria, and much… [ Keep reading ]
By Patti Bakker and Todd Burley Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) stewards nearly 12% of property in Seattle. As part of this stewardship it is our responsibility to manage these lands and waters in a way that supports both the people that use them and the ecosystems within them. The… [ Keep reading ]
By Todd Burley, Brian Gay, Patti Bakker, and Craig Chatburn Ecologically, Seattle is known as a place of towering trees and majestic waterways. Also hidden within many parks are meandering meadows that provide areas of respite and critical habitat for many species. In fact, some places such as the current… [ Keep reading ]
