REASON 1 - protect Quality habitat in our urban environment
Cheasty Greenspace has notable quality habitat. Like other urban forests, Cheasty requires strategic management of non-native plants and human impact areas.
Cheasty Greenspace is a unique Seattle greenbelt featuring: seep wetlands with multiple large patches of native western skunk cabbage, a young riparian forest composed of 58% native Big Leaf Maple trees, other numerous native plant species, and natural springs. A majority of the forest is designated as "Quality Habitat" by the Seattle Department of Parks & Recreation.
Cheasty is also home to a variety of birds including Wilson's Warbler, Rufous Hummingbird, Pacific Wren, Orange Crowned Warbler and Song Sparrow among many others. The Washington Branch of the Audobon Society released guidelines for urban forest restoration in areas with breeding birds in Seattle.
SDPR Vegetation Management Plan
Neighborhood Birder Ed Newbold Website
Cheasty Greenspace is a unique Seattle greenbelt featuring: seep wetlands with multiple large patches of native western skunk cabbage, a young riparian forest composed of 58% native Big Leaf Maple trees, other numerous native plant species, and natural springs. A majority of the forest is designated as "Quality Habitat" by the Seattle Department of Parks & Recreation.
Cheasty is also home to a variety of birds including Wilson's Warbler, Rufous Hummingbird, Pacific Wren, Orange Crowned Warbler and Song Sparrow among many others. The Washington Branch of the Audobon Society released guidelines for urban forest restoration in areas with breeding birds in Seattle.
SDPR Vegetation Management Plan
Neighborhood Birder Ed Newbold Website
REASON 2 - protect and preserve disappearing undeveloped natural areas
Currently 86% of Seattle park land is developed for active recreation or is landscaped. Only 14% of park land remains as any kind of natural area. Natural areas and our urban tree canopy are under constant attack. Over the past 30 years, Seattle's tree canopy has been reduced from 40% tree canopy in the 80's to 23% today. As the city grows, tree-cover and habitat shrink considerably. Parks are increasingly developed as sport fields and other facilities are added into former natural sites.
The few remaining remnant natural spaces—no matter how pristine or invaded they might be—are experiencing increasingly heavy human impact. Preserving the Cheasty forest presents a unique opportunity to change the dialog about Seattle's remaining 14% of natural wildlife habitat.
Seattle Urban Forestry Commission Recommendation
Friends of Seattle Urban Forests
The few remaining remnant natural spaces—no matter how pristine or invaded they might be—are experiencing increasingly heavy human impact. Preserving the Cheasty forest presents a unique opportunity to change the dialog about Seattle's remaining 14% of natural wildlife habitat.
Seattle Urban Forestry Commission Recommendation
Friends of Seattle Urban Forests
REAson 3 - prevent future potential landslides
Cheasty Greenspace has been designated by the Seattle Department of Planning and Development and SDPR as an area prone to landslides. With some areas exceeding 40% slope, disturbing and compounding soils can cause erosion and harm an already delicate environment.
A Cheasty neighbor lost their home in March 9, 2014 to a landslide in the area of the proposed bike park.
Department of Parks & Recreation Landslide Map
A Cheasty neighbor lost their home in March 9, 2014 to a landslide in the area of the proposed bike park.
Department of Parks & Recreation Landslide Map
reason 4 - eco-restoration services should not be traded for user rights
The proposed Mountain Bike Park Proposal in Cheasty Greenspace trades "promised volunteer hours" for exclusive usage of public park property. The Parks Department promised the Mountain Bike Community a Bike Park in exchange for volunteer forest restoration labor. It is a fundamental reversal of the concept of volunteering. Volunteers don't get paid.
Eco-restoration should not be used as a back-door approach to changing park policy regarding natural areas. If restoration needs to be done, the city should take responsibility and get it done. Seattle has the 4th highest Park spending per resident of any US city. Forest restoration needs to be made a priority.
2014 City Park Facts Spending and Staffing Data
Eco-restoration should not be used as a back-door approach to changing park policy regarding natural areas. If restoration needs to be done, the city should take responsibility and get it done. Seattle has the 4th highest Park spending per resident of any US city. Forest restoration needs to be made a priority.
2014 City Park Facts Spending and Staffing Data
Photos of Cheasty forest courtesy of Mark Holland