Environmental Service Project Paper
ESRM 100 Extra Credit
Environmental Service Project Paper
08/05/2013
On 27th July 2013, I embark on my second volunteer service project with EarthCorps to help with the restoration of the forested parklands at Camp Long. The scope of work during this service project was similar to the one that I did at the West Duwamish Greenbelt, which is primarily to remove the invasive species of Himalayan Blackberry.
Each year, EarthCorps leads thousands of volunteers in environmental service projects in Western Washington. They work with schools, businesses, nonprofits, government agencies and ultimately the community to work together towards a venture called the Green Seattle Partnership. The objective of this partnership was to “promote a livable city by re-establishing and maintaining a healthy urban forest” (Weaver 20). EarthCorps is a non-profit organization that is actively engaged in this partnership to restore key ecological sites around the Puget Sound Region. Their restoration projects of re-establishing polluted or degraded environment to a possible thriving, self-sustaining ecosystem is critical in the rebuilding of a functioning natural ecosystem. It allows the return of native plant and animal species to thrive and allow the ecosystem to flourish. However due to the increasing demand of human interference such as “view clearing, logging and passive management” (Weaver 12), these activities has led to much pollution, overdevelopment and the loss of natural habitats for many native environmental species.
According to Becca, who was our event coordinator during this particular restoration project, much of the trees we see at Camp Long have been inundated by invasive species such as the Himalayan Blackberry or English Ivy. As we went deeper into the forested parkland, we could see many trees toppling over. This could be due to aging or rather mainly due to invasive species like the English Ivy that causes the trees to weaken and fall over. These invasive
Environmental Service Project Paper
08/05/2013
On 27th July 2013, I embark on my second volunteer service project with EarthCorps to help with the restoration of the forested parklands at Camp Long. The scope of work during this service project was similar to the one that I did at the West Duwamish Greenbelt, which is primarily to remove the invasive species of Himalayan Blackberry.
Each year, EarthCorps leads thousands of volunteers in environmental service projects in Western Washington. They work with schools, businesses, nonprofits, government agencies and ultimately the community to work together towards a venture called the Green Seattle Partnership. The objective of this partnership was to “promote a livable city by re-establishing and maintaining a healthy urban forest” (Weaver 20). EarthCorps is a non-profit organization that is actively engaged in this partnership to restore key ecological sites around the Puget Sound Region. Their restoration projects of re-establishing polluted or degraded environment to a possible thriving, self-sustaining ecosystem is critical in the rebuilding of a functioning natural ecosystem. It allows the return of native plant and animal species to thrive and allow the ecosystem to flourish. However due to the increasing demand of human interference such as “view clearing, logging and passive management” (Weaver 12), these activities has led to much pollution, overdevelopment and the loss of natural habitats for many native environmental species.
According to Becca, who was our event coordinator during this particular restoration project, much of the trees we see at Camp Long have been inundated by invasive species such as the Himalayan Blackberry or English Ivy. As we went deeper into the forested parkland, we could see many trees toppling over. This could be due to aging or rather mainly due to invasive species like the English Ivy that causes the trees to weaken and fall over. These invasive
Citations: 1. “20-year strategic plan.” Eva Weaver. Green Seattle Partnership 20-year strategic plan pdf file. Green Seattle Organization, 2004. Web. n.d. >