Part of the “Locks to Lakes Corridor”, the Burke-Gilman trail stretches from the shores of the Puget Sound in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, some 18 miles northeast to Bothell, WA where it intersects with the Sammamish River Trail. Near the Yesler Creek Headwaters, the Burke-Gilman Trail winds just north of the University of Washington campus and continues on, past Lake Washington.

On this stretch near Yesler Creek, project partner, Forterra, will work closely with local volunteer Forest Stewards from the Friends of the Burke-Gilman Trail at Sandpoint to implement a Green Infrastructure restoration project. The Forest Stewards will remove invasive species, and prep the area for planting native trees, shrubs and ground cover. The native planting will create forest buffers that capture and filter storm water from the nearby area, reducing pollutants from entering waterways and mitigating flood hazards.

In addition to the environmental benefits, these restoration efforts will enhance the social and economic benefits the trail facilitates for individuals and families that live, work, and play in the neighborhood. This project supports the Green Seattle Partnership—a citywide commitment to restore forested parks and natural areas by 2025—and provides easy access to nature for the region’s urban dwellers.

Connecting several distinct Seattle neighborhoods as well as nearby cities, the Burke-Gilman serves as an important non-motorized route for weekday commuters and one of the most heavily used pedestrian and bicycling thruways in Seattle. This particular stretch of the Burke-Gilman sits near the University, as well as the Burke-Gilman Playground, nearby the Ronald McDonald House, and a short distance from Seattle Children’s Hospital.