“The Life of Owls” with Paul Bannick

May 6th, 2013 by Arboretum Education Supervisor, Patrick Mulligan

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Join internationally acclaimed photographer, Paul Bannick, at the Washington Park Arboretum this Friday evening from 7pm-8pm for a visual and auditory exploration of the life of North American Owls. With his stunning photographs, Paul will walk us through all four seasons and all 19 species of owls while touching on their interdependence with other plants and animals.

Paul is this year’s guest speaker at Bioblitz 2013. The fee to attend is $8 per person.

Online registration is now closed. You may pay at the door with cash (exact change), check, or Visa/MaterCard.

 

When: May 10th, 7pm – 8pm
Where: UWBG’s Washington Park Arboretum, in the Graham Visitors Center
Cost: $8 per person

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Urban Forest Symposium Line-up

May 2nd, 2013 by Jessica Farmer, Continuing Education Coordinator

The 5th Annual Urban Forest Symposium is just eleven days away. Take a look at the final schedule below. Please note the new end time of 4:30pm.

A limited number of seats are still available. Lunch ordering will be available until Wednesday, May 8.

Register Here

Visit http://depts.washington.edu/uwbg/news/urban-forest/ for the latest news!

2013 Urban Forest Symposium: Trees and Views
Monday, May 13, 2013

AGENDA

8:15 – 9:00   Check-in

9:00 – 9:15   Welcome and introductions
Cass Turnbull, founder of PlantAmnesty

9:15 – 10:00 The Aesthetics of Views
Kathleen Day, landscape consultant, ASLA, LEED AP BD+C, ISA Certified Arborist
Kathleen Day has more than twenty years of experience combining the art and science of landscape architecture, arboriculture and horticulture.

10:00–10:30 Break – Merrill Commons

10:30–11:15 Trees, Views, and Slope Stability
Elliott Menashe, Owner of Greenbelt Consulting
Elliott Menashe has published the standard for shore management guidance and is the originator of the “Biostructural Engineering” approach to slope stabilization, which combines structural, bio-technical and vegetative elements to restore slopes and reduce erosion.

11:15–12:00 Valuing Trees and Views
Kathleen Day, landscape consultant, ASLA, LEED AP BD+C, ISA
Lisa Ciecko, Green Cities Project Manager, Forterra
Phillip Sit, King County Department of Assessments
Bob Melvey, Assistant Manager, Windermere Real Estate NW / Inc.

12:00–12:45 Lunch – Merrill Commons.
Thank you to our lunch sponsors:  The Davey Tree Expert Company, Seattle Tree Preservation, Inc., Thundering Oak Enterprises, and Trees for Life

12:45–1:30   Views and Laws: Covenants, Ordinances and Trespass to Trees, Part I
Randall S. Stamen, Attorney
Randall S. Stamen is an attorney and an ISA Certified Arborist. He practices law throughout California and provides green industry legal services, including: the development of litigation prevention measures; the drafting of contracts; litigation representation; consulting; and, acting as a mediator and negotiator.

1:30 – 2:00   Policies and Views
Craig Salzman, Code Enforcement Officer, City of Kirkland
Dan DeWald, Natural Resource Manager for Bellevue Parks & Community Services
Mark Mead, Senior Urban Forester for Seattle Parks and Recreation

2:00 – 2:20   Break – Merrill Commons

2:20 – 3:30   Views and Laws: Covenants, Ordinances and Trespass to Trees, Part II
David Brenner, Attorney
Baker v. Olerud tree/view case in Clyde Hill. Case study and implications for the future.

Barri Kaplan Bonapart, founder of Bonapart & Associates and Bonapart Resolution, Sausalito, CA
Barri Bonapart is a nationally recognized attorney, mediator, and arbitrator with nearly three decades of experience helping people resolve tree and neighbor disputes (see www.treelaw.com and www.got-peace.com for more information).  She will explain the laws governing trespass and wrongful cutting of trees and will also discuss the use of mediation in resolving tree issues in general and view disputes in particular.

Matthew York, Assistant City Attorney, East Precinct Liaison, City of Seattle

Shawn Crowley, Law Office of Shawn Crowley LLC
Previous Staff Attorney with The Defender Association

3:30 – 4:25   Speakers Panel
Randall S. Stamen, Attorney
Barri Kaplan Bonapart, Attorney
Elliot Menashe, Owner of Greenbelt Consulting
Dan DeWald, Natural Resource Manager for Bellevue Parks & Community Services
* Other speakers will be seated in the front row and available to comment as needed.

4:25 – 4:30   Wrap-up
Cass Turnbull, founder of PlantAmnesty

 

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

City of Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment
West Seattle Garden Tour

and Our Supporters:

The Davey Tree Expert Co.
Thundering Oak Enterprises
Seattle Tree Preservation, Inc.
Windermere Ballard
SvR Design Company
Trees for Life

 

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Perennial Possibilities

April 24th, 2013 by Jessica Farmer, Continuing Education Coordinator

Do you want a low-maintenance garden that is perpetually colorful and interesting?
You can have it all!Perennials The Gardeners Reference

Join us for upcoming classes in our Perennial Series with Carrie Becker to learn how.

These classes involve both classroom lectures and field trips to see how the concepts can be applied in your own garden.

Space is still available in these classes, and you can register online.

Perennial Companions
2-part class: Wednesday, May 15th, 7:00 – 8:30pm, and Saturday, May 18th, 1:00 – 3:30pm
Fee: Early-bird discount $50; $60 after May 12

In this class you will learn how to put plants together in satisfying combinations that endure and to use site information (such as sun, shade, dryness, etc.) to place companion plants who need similar conditions together, while taking color, form and texture into account.

After the Shade
2-part class: Wednesday, June 19th, 7:00 – 8:30pm, and Saturday, June 22nd, 1:00 – 3:30pm
Fee: Early-bird discount $50; $60 after June 16

Is your formerly sunny garden becoming shady with maturing trees and shrubs? Or do you have areas of existing shade? This class will teach you how to plant for shade and still have beautiful enduring plants from early spring through fall. Learn to love the shade!

Instructor Carrie Becker is co-author of Perennials: The Gardener’s Reference, and has spent 40 years immersed in the study of plants as a gardener, professional landscape designer, consultant, and educator. One of the original designers of the Northwest Perennial Alliance Borders at the Bellevue Botanical Garden, she has taught classes about perennials, bulbs, annuals, and biennials in the horticultural department at Edmonds Community College in Lynnwood, Washington for 17 years. Carrie has written articles for Horticulture, Pacific Horticulture, Arboretum Bulletin, and the Northwest Perennial Alliance and was a Hortus Praefectus of the Northwest Perennial Alliance in 2008. Carrie lectures in various garden clubs, nurseries, arboretums, and flower shows around the Northwest.

Like to plan ahead? Mark your calendar for the last class in the series:

Bulbs!
Wednesday, September 25, 2013, 7 – 9pm
Fee: Early-bird discount $30; $35 after September 18

This class will show you how to select and grow bulbous plants for all kinds of garden conditions. Find out which bulbs are enduring as perennials, pest resistant and hardy!

You can register online here: https://www.cfr.washington.edu/uwbg/ 

Questions? urbhort@uw.edu or 206.685.8033

Check out our other upcoming classes, too!

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Introducing our Summer Garden Guides

April 23rd, 2013 by Community Programs Coordinator

These enthusiastic, thoughtful and genuine folks are our Garden Guides for the UW Botanic Gardens Summer Camp at the Arboretum. They are charged with creating fun, educational, nature-based experiences for our campers. They have our 230 acre nature oasis to work with, their own experience and excitement to bring to the table, and a host of materials and curriculum to support their endeavors. Together we will build connection, community and nature awareness as we discover the wonders of the Arboretum. Each guide is paired with a high school student in our Junior Garden Guide program. We still have a few spots left in summer camp, come join us for a week of adventure!

 

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Brian Marienfeld, Summer Garden Guide

My name is Brian and I am blessed to have had an amazing journey in my life, from working for a wilderness therapy organization to getting my Masters at the University of Washington and IslandWood.  I am passionate about working with kids outdoors, hiking across this country, soul music, making pizza, and building strong caring communities to mention a few.  I fell in love with Washington many years ago and am so grateful for this opportunity to help others connect to this incredible place.  I look forward to bringing care and energy to my students and to the Arboretum community.

 

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Tara Nichol, Summer Garden Guide

Tara was born in Seattle and grew up exploring the beautiful Northwest forests, coasts, lakes and rivers during her childhood. Tara graduated in 2007 with a BA in Environmental Education from Fairhaven College in Bellingham, WA. She has worked in Outdoor Education for eight years leading backpacking trips, sailing, and teaching about local ecology.  Tara is trained as a Waldorf teacher, and loves the awe and beauty that outdoor experiences give to young people. She enjoys hiking, biking, singing and creating art.

 

 

 

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAStephanie Zanati, Summer Garden Guide

My name is Stephanie and I am thrilled to be a part of the UWBG Education Team this summer! I was born and raised in New York City, but I have spent the last 7 years teaching outdoors in many diverse landscapes across the country. I moved to the Puget Sound 2 years ago to continue to pursue my passion for education through the graduate program at Islandwood on Bainbridge Island. I have spent this last year teaching fourth grade in Seattle Public Schools and I am really excited to be returning to my roots in the outdoor classroom! When I am not teaching, I can usually be found biking, birding, or farming. I am looking forward to exploring and making lots of discoveries in the Arboretum this summer with your child!

 

Sarah1Sarah Heller, Camp Director

Sarah is a life long Seattle resident with deep northwest roots from her childhood years of playing outside and a strong interest in all things nature. She developed and piloted summer camp at the Arboretum three years ago and has since grown the program into what it is today – 7 weeks of outdoor, nature-based fun in the heart of Seattle. Sarah keeps herself busy by developing new programs and building community at the Arboretum. On the weekends Sarah can be found climbing, hiking, scrambling and backpacking in the mountains. Sarah is looking forward to connecting with returning families and meeting all the ones!

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UWBG Bioblitz 2013 at the Washington Park Arboretum

April 9th, 2013 by Arboretum Education Supervisor, Patrick Mulligan

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A bioblitz is a biological inventory that takes place over a short period of time (usually 24hrs) in a specified area (in this case the Washington Park Arboretum). The purpose of a bioblitz is to take a snap shot of biodiversity, which is a way to measure the health of an ecosystem. The more organisms found, the healthier the ecosystem. We value bioblitzes at the UWBG for a number of reasons: they’re a tool to help us manage our site as sustainably as possible; they’re a great way to engage with our community and raise awareness of the importance of biodiversity (even in urban environments); and since they are hands-on and fast-paced, they are also a lot of fun.

The way it works is there will be 2.5 hour shifts during which small groups of citizen scientists & UW students will go out with one of our field scientists in search of various taxa (birds, bats, bugs, fungi, plants, mammals, etc.). As a team, they try to ID and count what they find and record the location where they found it. In some cases (e.g. fungi, insects) specimens can be collected and identified later.

Space is limited, so click here to sign up for a shift today!

Don’t want to volunteer, but want to attend Paul Bannick’s presentation, The Life of Owls, on Friday evening? Non-volunteers can pay $8 to attend: click here to register

When: Friday, May 10th & Saturday May 11th

Friday:
4pm-6:30pm
6:30-8pm (dinner for volunteers & lecture from 7-8pm with wildlife photographer, Paul Bannick. Please register to attend the talk.)
8pm-10:30pm

Saturday:
7am-9:30am (early birders)
10am-12:30am
1pm-3:30pm
3:30-4pm (show & tell)

Where: Graham Visitors Center (2300 Arboretum Dr E Seattle WA)

mushroom sample

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bioblitz flyer

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Registration Open for 2013 Urban Forest Symposium

March 6th, 2013 by Jessica Farmer, Continuing Education Coordinator

2013 Urban Forest Symposium: Trees & Views
Hosted by PlantAmnesty and the University of Washington Botanic Gardens

What:   5th Annual Urban Forest Symposium
When:  May 13, Monday from 9am to 4:30pm
Where:  University of Washington Botanic Gardens Center for Urban Horticulture
3501 NE 41st St, Seattle, WA 98105
Cost:      $75 per person. Update: As of 5/9/13, lunches are no longer available for pre-order. A limited number of box lunches will be available for $15 on the day of the event.
Contact:  urbhort@uw.edu or 206-685-8033.
Register: http://depts.washington.edu/uwbg/news/urban-forest/

 

Expanded Program:

The issue of trees vs. views is a contentious one, pitting view seekers against tree lovers on hillsides facing mountains and water, up and down both coasts. This symposium is entirely devoted to an in-depth look at the issue and will be of interest to communities, HOAs, municipalities, arborists, lawyers and prosecutors, planners, developers, tree advocates, & individuals dealing with this complex issue.

Keynote address on The Aesthetics of Views: Kathleen Day, ASLA, LEED, AP BD &C, ISA certified. Kathleen Day has more than twenty years of experience combining the art and science of landscape architecture, arboriculture and horticulture.

Valuing Trees and Views: A series of speakers will describe how they value trees and views. Presenters include a real estate agent, tax assessor, tree appraiser, and forest assessment coordinator working with the I-tree program to assign ecological systems values to trees and greenbelts.

Policy and Views: A brief series of presentations on city view policies and dealing with conflicting interests on public and shared lands.

Trees, Views, and Slope Stability: Elliot Menashe, Natural resource manager & consultant, Greenbelt Consulting, on taking action to avert flooding, erosion, and landslides. Through enlightened view-management choices, drainage control, and vegetation management, you can stop creating tomorrow’s crisis today.

View and the Law – Covenants, Ordinances and Trespass to Trees: Randall S. Stamen, Attorney at Law and ISA Certified Arborist from Riverside, CA, will lead the discussion on evolving view covenants and ordinances. Other invited attorneys, including Barri Bonapart, owner of Bonapart & Associates, will discuss tree law, lessons learned, neighbor laws as they relate to illegal tree cutting for views, as well as case studies of mediation success.

The attorney presentations will be followed by a panel discussion and Q&A session.

 

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

City of Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment

West Seattle Garden Tour

 

and Our Supporters:        

The Davey Tree Expert Co.                 Thundering Oak Enterprises

Seattle Tree Preservation, Inc.           Windermere Ballard  

SvR Design Company                          Trees for Life

 

ISA Credits Available: 6; other professional credits pending.

 

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UW Botanic Gardens Spring Break and Summer Camps

February 19th, 2013 by Community Programs Coordinator

It’s that time of year again when we pull out our calendars and begin to think about summer plans. Consider signing your child up to play and learn outside all summer! We are offering seven weeks of outdoor, nature-based summer camps at the Washington Park Arboretum. New themes have been added like Wetland Rangers and Northwest Naturalists, and kept some of our favorites like Woodland Wonders and Art in the Park.

We are also offering a spring break camp in conjunction with the Seattle Public Schools spring break week. What better way to spend a week in April than exploring our 230 acres of natural wonderland in the heart of Seattle? Spring break is supposed to be a *break* so we plan to play games, go on hikes and adventures through the nooks and crannies of the Arboretum, and tackle projects like building a fort, creating Andy Goldsworthy inspired art and exploring the uses of our native plants.

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Interested in working at our summer camp? Apply to be a Summer Garden Guide!

We also have volunteer opportunities for high school students! Check out our Junior Garden Guide position and application.

 

 

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Take a class this spring!

January 31st, 2013 by Jessica Farmer, Continuing Education Coordinator

The UW Botanic Gardens offers a variety of education programs for everyone, drawing on research and technical expertise from the UW and beyond to include lectures, courses, demonstrations, symposia, and tours. New classes are listed frequently. Please check out our full schedule.

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Pollination with Orchard Mason Bees
Instructor: Missy Anderson, aka Queen Bee, King County Master Gardener
Tuesday, February 19, 7-8:30pm
Fee: $10

Growing Up WILD
Instructor: Julie Luthy, Naturalist and Environmental Educator
Saturday, March 2, 9am-12pm
Fee: $60

Perennials: Simple Division
Instructor: Carrie Becker, co-author of Perennials: The Gardener’s Reference
Wednesday, March 13, 7-9pm and Saturday, March 16, 1-4pm
Fee: $50

Introduction to Conifer Identification
Instructor: Patrick Mulligan, Education Supervisor at the Washington Park Arboretum
Saturday, March 23, 10am-12pm
Fee: $45

Woody Landscape Plants of Seattle
Instructor: Katie Murphy, former Collections Manager of the Otis Douglas Hyde Herbarium
8-part series, March 27 – May 1
Fee: $180

Designing and Creating a Wildlife Habitat Garden
Instructor: Emily Bishton, Landscape Designer and Director of Magnuson Nature Programs
3-part series, April 4 – 11
Fee: $85

Creating a Child-Friendly Garden
Instructor: Emily Bishton, Landscape Designer and Director of Magnuson Nature Programs
3-part series, April 18 – 25
Fee: $85

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Training Dates Announced

January 16th, 2013 by Lisa Sanphillippo

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UWBG School Programs serve over 6,000 kids a year and we could not possibly do it without the help of our volunteers. We are hiring volunteer Garden Guides now and have two dates to get folks started on their journey to engage kids in the great outdoors.

Saturday February 9th from 11:00 – 3:00 pm and
Saturday February 16th from 11:00 – 3:00 pm

Guides need only attend one training, but are welcome to both. Both trainings will cover an introduction to the University of Washington Botanic Gardens as well as round table and in the field discussions about class management, interpretation techniques and age appropriate teaching.

2-way viewer for Paige

February 9th we will focus on our Plants 101 and 201 programs and February 16th we’ll focus on Wetlands 101 and 201. New guides will learn what the big ideas of each program are, how the student’s age affects the level and amount of information given and how to use the props and activities in the field.

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If you would like to fill nature with children and teach them about plant science, ecology and more, contact Lisa Sanphillippo at 206-543-8801 or lsanphil@uw.edu for more information.

We value our volunteers for their time, experience and dedication! We hold enrichments, training and other educational opportunities regularly. Call or email now to become a treasured part of our team.

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Leaves, Paint Swatches and Nature Connection: A Student Perspective

December 18th, 2012 by Community Programs Coordinator

Written by Mackenzie Urquhart, UW Service Learning Student

I had so much fun participating in the Fiddleheads Program these past couple of months. Through out the sessions we play games, explore, do arts and crafts, and teach the kids about their surroundings.  What is special about this program is the kids get to interact with the nature they are learning about directly instead of reading it from a textbook or in a classroom.

On our first walk through the Arboretum we taught the kids about fall and how the environment changes during that time period.  We explored how the leaves change colors and how the leaves eventually fall off the trees.  The kids were able to see the changes happening with their own eyes.  Through out the walk we gave them each a brown bag and they were to fill it with the leaves that fell off the trees.  At the end of the walk we reminded them why they fell off the trees and had them each do a leaf rubbing so they could take it home and have it be a reminder of what happens during fall.  All through out the walk the kids were asking questions, interacting with nature, feeling the leaves, and touching the trees.

One of my favorite games we played with the kids was called the color game.  Sarah and I each gave the kids a paint swatch and they were to find a plant, animal or anything in nature that was the same color.  This was a unique and fun way to get the kids to explore nature.  The kids were running all around and would show us what they found that matched their paint swatch.  If they didn’t know what the species or plant was we would tell them and have them share it with the other kids so they could all learn about each others.

Another game the kids loved was called the matching game.  Sarah and I laid out a bunch of leaves two of each kind and had the kids play a matching game and at the end we would have them guess what the name of the leaf was.  Then we would circle as a group and talk about each leaf and point out what the tree looked like that the leaf came from. In that kind of setting the kids are able to learn about the environment in a fun and stress free environment.  They retain the information better and see how humans and other species directly impact the environment.   Each session has an overall theme so the kids are constantly learning about different issues and topics related to nature.

Check out the Fiddlehead Forest School website for more information and to register for classes.

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