Category: Project and Field Highlights

Clayton Beach Pedestrian Overpass

International crew restores popular trail. By Kyle Christensen, Ranger 3, Larrabee State Park It was a cold, dark and rainy week when EarthCorps’ international crew arrived at Larrabee State Park in November to restore the popular Clayton Beach trail. Set in northwestern Washington, Larrabee is the oldest state park in Washington — the original 26... Keep Reading about Clayton Beach Pedestrian Overpass

Thank you ExtremeTerrain!

EarthCorps is grateful for partners like ExtremeTerrain, whose Clean Trail Program, helps fund our work improving Washington trails across Puget Sound. They support projects across the country, and we encourage you to get outside and explore some of these iconic trails! Did you know that over the past 28 years EarthCorps has built and maintained... Keep Reading about Thank you ExtremeTerrain!

Did you know? EarthCorps has worked on more than 110 trails in Washington?

Below is a list of trails where we’ve worked. Do you see your favorite spot listed? If not, here’s your chance to check out some new trails! Fun Fact: Depending on the conditions, a typical trail crew can build up to a mile of trail in a week. On the flip side it might take... Keep Reading about Did you know? EarthCorps has worked on more than 110 trails in Washington?

US Senator Cory Booker cites EarthCorps’ work in Climate Stewardship Act proposal!

We’re trying to play it cool, but this is REALLY big! Here is the back story: EarthCorps teamed up with Restore America’s Estuaries (RAE) to study the rate at which coastal wetlands, estuaries, and tidal marshes sequester carbon. We studied how saltwater grasses and other marsh plants take carbon out of the air, and end up burying... Keep Reading about US Senator Cory Booker cites EarthCorps’ work in Climate Stewardship Act proposal!

Trees today, forests tomorrow

How does a forest benefit people and nature, and what can we do to ensure that it has an even bigger impact – today, tomorrow, and into the future? This is a question that EarthCorps continually asks as we plan forest restoration projects. Take a look at Discovery Park: Stretching 534 acres, Discovery Park is an urban... Keep Reading about Trees today, forests tomorrow

Save the Salmon to Save the Orcas

Puget Sound orcas are hungry.  The Southern Resident killer whales, who spend summer and fall in Puget Sound, are picky eaters. About 80% of their diet is Chinook salmon – and they eat a lot of them. An adult orca eats about 385 pounds of fish each day! The Southern Resident killer whales developed a taste for Chinook salmon... Keep Reading about Save the Salmon to Save the Orcas

Bioswales and Orca Whales

My 14-year-old daughter, Anna, recently asked me how my week was going. “I’ve been busy saving orca whales,” I told her. She gave me a questioning look and asked, “how?” Well, one of the biggest threats to orcas in the Puget Sound is the decline of their main food source: salmon. And the abundance and... Keep Reading about Bioswales and Orca Whales

Rattlesnake Ledge

Winding through the forest, a busy trail overlooks the Cedar River watershed, Mount Si, Mount Washington, Rattlesnake River, and Chester Morse Lake. Built fifteen years ago to accommodate an estimated 40,000 hikers a year, the trail’s stunning panoramic views are now seen by almost 300,000 each year. This is Rattlesnake Ledge. The increased popularity of... Keep Reading about Rattlesnake Ledge

Discovery Park

With 534 acres of growing green forests, it may not be as a surprise that Discovery Park is Seattle’s largest park. Initially built as the U.S. Army’s Fort Lawton, the park was converted to civilian use in 1973. Discovery Park now serves as national model for converting military bases into public parks and community centers.... Keep Reading about Discovery Park

Working together to improve the Green-Duwamish River

With funding from the King County Flood Control District, EarthCorps crews restored 20,000 square feet of a riparian buffer along the Green – Duwamish River. What is a riparian buffer, and what does it do? A riparian buffer is a fancy term to describe the land along a river. Healthy riparian buffers have a mix... Keep Reading about Working together to improve the Green-Duwamish River

Planting a Forest

When I was a child growing up in Brazil, I saw an interview on TV about a guy who planted a forest. His work brought back wildlife and improved the water irrigation on his property. It was interesting to see the beautiful and impactful transformation of the land. My love for nature and the environment... Keep Reading about Planting a Forest

A Watershed Approach

It takes a watershed approach to clean up Puget Sound. What do I mean by that? To improve the health of Puget Sound, we have to work together to restore the lands and waters that feed into the sound. The EPA defines a watershed approach as one that involves all stakeholders, including federal, state, local... Keep Reading about A Watershed Approach

Celebrate the Rain

“We are water people!” I told the crew with a burst of Pacific Northwest pride. It was the fifth downpour of the week. Seven of us were standing by the side of a road in Everett. We were soaking wet. At our feet, a steady stream of oily water was racing along the curb. The water... Keep Reading about Celebrate the Rain

The Birds and the Bees

You’ve seen it in the news: Honeybee populations are declining at an alarming rate across the country. Unfortunately, it’s not just the honeybees that are losing ground. Other pollinators close to home, like certain butterflies and bumblebees that are native to the Puget Sound region and vital to our forest’s health, are declining towards extinction... Keep Reading about The Birds and the Bees