52 WoLP #28-29: from a different perspective

Alrighty then: the past two weeks I haven’t been in LP at all. Maybe a sunset walk or two, but that’s it. Instead, I’ve been in the University hood, mainly Magnuson Park, and second to that, Ravenna Park.. And I gotta tell ya, those are some awesomely awesome parks. Seattlites are so lucky to have some great parks to choose from.

A notable thing in Magnuson Park was the interest in and support of migratory and resident bird populations, right alongside all your standard recreation facilities. I wish, oh how I wish, seattle Parks would share some of that love with Lincoln Park.

One example was so easy, I imagine citizen birders could do this themselves: a simple sign at the edge of a field with clusters of branches forming a visual barrier, letting people (especially those with dogs) know that even though this field looks empty, there is nesting going on in the spring. Will it stop all four and two legged onslaughts? Probably not, but it will inform a percentage that might not otherwise know…

The next cool thing I came across was an impressive interpretative installation telling about the resident and migratory birds of Magnuson –well done and interesting. I’d love love love! To see something like that in LP.

I so enjoyed these parks, Ravenna with its most excellent system of trails, and Magnuson with its mix of recreational and environmentally minded activities and installations. Lucky us, and one of these days, maybe we’ll have something similar in Lincoln Park–we’ve got excellent trails and lots of recreational options. Maybe it’s time for the birds?

52 WoLP is the chronicle of a year long love affair with Lincoln Park in West Seattle. Enjoy!

52 WoLP #27: it’s that time again

Oh dear, it happened again. The week totally got away from me…here goes, better late than never.

It’s that time of year when large herds of running youth thunder through the park, in some semblance cross-country tracks. As a runner myself, I’ve been impacted by a certain assumption that everyone and everything will make way for the herd, but that’s a temporary annoyance.

What’s not temporary, and what just showed up last year in all its garish and unlovely splendor, is spray painted signage. You’ve seen it: the neon orange and yellow arrows sprayed directly on trees, the exposed roots of trees sprayed with cautionary intent (begs the very question of cross-country, but hey).

It’s ugly, thoughtless, and lasts a long time. I’m pretty sure the people who do it aren’t even conscious of what they’re doing, so I suggesting if you see this happening, you go ahead and suggest to them that they spray paint a piece of paper and tack that to the tree. And then remove it after the event.

Easy peasy. We can help keep this stuff off our beautiful trees. After all, friends don’t let friends use neon spray paint in the park. Or anywhere else, IMO, but that another issue.

Thanks and see you out there!
52 WoLP is a years long jaunt through the loveliest of lovely parks here in lovely West Seattle!

52 WoLP #26: a Green Partnership

Well, glory be! another week totally got away from me. Such is life in the summer when being online gets demoted in favor of a zillion outdoor things.
Still, something came across the reader-board this week, before the bombs-bursting-in-air re-enactment took place in Lincoln Park and elsewhere: Green Seattle Partnership.

What they do is interesting, and involves a lot of our urban population that might not otherwise have an opportunity to interact with or basically give a second thought to our urban forests, such as Lincoln Park. Part of their purpose goes like this:

Now many of those big trees are nearing the end of their natural life, and the ivy – like a disease taking advantage of a frail, elderly individual – may speed the decline. The ivy is an invasive plant and over time it will kill the tree. It robs the tree of nutrients and creates the “sail” effect – high winds in the winter months can be caught by the ivy, helping to pull the tree over.

To accomplish this humongous task, Green Seattle counts on lots of our help. Alas, sometimes that help is a little clumsier than nesting birds and other creatures might want, but the end goal of replacing an aging canopy with new life is pretty awesome. In LP, they’ve planted what could amount to a new generation of someday-mighty-trees. Involving our very urban population in the endeavor has many benefits down the road. All in all, Green Seattle is something to crow about.

52 WoLP is a year long contemplation of one of the loveliest city parks in the world, Lincoln Park in beautiful West Seattle.