About

Learn more about the Duwamish Alive Coalition and the difference our work is making.

We're Friendly, Dedicated and Passionate

Duwamish Alive collaborates with community, municipalities, non-profits and businesses within the Duwamish River Watershed to preserve and enhance habitat for people and wildlife, towards improving the health of the Puget Sound. Click here to learn more.

Explore

The Duwamish is made up of a collection of habitat-rich sites. Come explore this amazing area.

Explore and Learn

The Duwamish River is a working waterfront that is also a fishing and recreational resource.
Learn more by visiting the Duwamish Sites

Get Involved

Join other community members in helping to restore the great Duwamish.

So Many Worthwhile Events

If you’re excited about volunteering we’ve got lots of events for you to match your skill set to!

Visit our Calendar to see current events.

Featured

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Upcoming Events

 Join Us for Duwamish Alive!  April 20th  10 – 2

As we celebrate Seattle’s only RIVER, the Duwamish in a community effort to  improve the health of our Green-Duwamish Watershed by promoting awareness about it, and coordinating efforts to improve and enhance native habitat health and water quality so that people and wildlife can thrive in our urban community.

Our forested areas such as the Duwamish Greenbelt, one of the largest in the lower section of the river, provide important air and water filtration of pollution, especially storm runoff one of the major sources polluting our waters. Tree canopy cover also reduces our summer heat domes, unequally affecting low income, communities of color to a greater degree. Duwamish Alive Coalition continues to nurture and expand tree canopy within our local communities which suffer the effects of pollution and heat domes.

The river ecosystem supports 5 salmon species including the threatened Chinook salmon which is a critical food source for our Southern Orcas; along with wildlife that includes river otters, beavers, bald eagles, and blue herons. Each of our habitat sites supports this web of life while providing important environmental benefits to our communities.

We will be working at the following multiple sites for this event, a special link is provided for each volunteer site registration.  This is a family friendly event, all ages welcome.  Tools, instruction and snacks are provided.

Duwamish Hill Preserve, Tukwila    Green Tukwila Partnership

Duwamish Hill is a sacred site of the Duwamish Tribe, we are honored to help in stewarding this special area by planting native plants in the forest and creation of a new pollinator meadow.  Efforts also include removing invasive plants, soil improvement and mulching.  Also included are special speakers and the launch of the Geocache Adventure Tukwila Legacy Trail.

Cecil Moses Park,  Tukwila    King County Parks

Cecil Moses Park is located along the west bank of North Wind’s Weir. in the critical transition zone for young salmon moving downstream to Puget Sound with an extensive tidal mixing of fresh and salt waters which allows the young salmon to adapt from the fresh water of the Green-Duwamish River to the salt water of Puget Sound.. Work continues to improve the habitat quality of this important area by removing invasive plants, replacing them with native plants and mulching.

We are honored to help in stewarding this sacred place of the Duwamish Tribe, which is referred to in their Epic of the Winds story.

Herrings House Park, Seattle     Green Seattle Partnership/Seattle Parks

Herrings House Park adjoins həʔapus Village Park along the river and provides the largest salmon habitat in the lower part of the river.  This critical area for the juvenile salmon provides them a safe place to rest and forage for food before they enter Puget Sound.  Volunteers will be planting native plants, mulching and removing invasive plants. Also included are special speakers and tabling offering information about the river, its wildlife and efforts to improve its health.

Point Rediscovery at Hamm Creek, Seattle    DIRT Corps  

Hamm Creek is only one of the two salmon spawning creeks of the Duwamish River and also were John Beal, the first person who started the effort in restoring the river.  John was a veteran of the Vietnam War, who came back with many health challenges and the prognosis of only having 6 months to live. With those 6 months he decided to clean up Hamm Creek, the place of his home.  As the health of the creek improved, so did John’s and his advocacy efforts for the river.  The river we have today is from his initial efforts and all those who have followed in his foot steps.  Point Rediscovery is John’s memorial to his military friends from the war and also to the creek he loved.  Join DIRT Corps in restoring this special place.  Volunteers will be removing invasive plants and debris and providing information on the site itself, how it’s being used to capture and filter storm water, and what needs to happen to make this a salmon bearing creek again.

həʔapus Village Park and Shoreline Habitat, Seattle    Port of Seattle & DIRT Corps 

This is a sacred site of the Duwamish Tribe, being an ancestral location of one of the tribe’s Longhouses and located across the street from the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center. We are honored to help in stewarding this special area by planting native plants, removing invasive plants to create a healthy habitat along the river. Also included are special speakers and tabling offering information about the river, its wildlife and efforts to improve its health.

Duwamish Greenbelt at Pigeon Pt , Seattle   Delridge Neighborhood Development  Association   

Upland forests are important part of the river’s ecosystem, providing many benefits to the watershed and communities.  This part of the Greenbelt is also used as an outdoor classroom for local schools.  Volunteers will be planting native plants, removing invasive plants and mulching.

Duwamish Longhouse, Seattle   Duwamish Alive Coalition and Duwamish Tribe

We are building a special cedar planter at the Longhouse for growing camas, an important plant that tribal members used for various uses including as a food source.  The planter will provide camas bulbs which will be safe source for consumption since the land around the Longhouse has been contaminated by industrial pollution.  The planter will contain soil safe for growing edible plants.   email: info@duwamishalive.org

Duwamish River Kayak Cleanup, Seattle      Puget Soundkeeper Alliance & Heron’s Nest Outdoor Education Center’s  River Access Program

Experience the river in kayaks while removing debris from the river before it enters Puget Sound.   This is a great time to be on the river with the salmon returning. This is a very popular event activity which fills fast!  Kayaks, equipment and instruction provided.  Must be 12 years and older.  Also included are special speakers and tabling offering information about the river, its wildlife and efforts to improve its health.

Log House Museum, Seattle   Southwest Seattle Historical Society

This museum hosts exhibits, events and maintains historical records of West Seattle.  Their museum is housed in one of the early settler’s carriage house which is surrounded by landscaping with native plants.  Volunteers will be removing weeds, mulching and planting.

Enjoy Nature with Our Partner Volunteer Activities Throughout the Year:

Join us for a collaborative effort across the watershed in making lasting, positive improvements in the health and vitality of the Green-Duwamish Watershed. Several of our partners are currently holding volunteer work parties at multiple sites in the river’s watershed, connecting the efforts of communities throughout the watershed from the river cleanup by kayak/shore patrols, shoreline salmon habitat restoration, and forest revitalization.  as we care for our water, lands and communities.

 The following partners have volunteer opportunities for individuals, families or groups, just click on their link to connect with their events listing or email info@duwamishalive.org for additional information:

Tukwila,   Green Tukwila Partnership

Seattle, Herons Nest

Seattle, River Access Paddle Programs, Herons Nest

Seattle, Green Seattle Partnership/Seattle Parks

 Seattle,   Delridge Neighborhood Development  Association 

 Tukwila & Seattle, Puget Soundkeeper Alliance

Tukwila & Seattle,    DIRT Corps  

   

 Longfellow Creek Diary Project

Our iconic Longfellow Creek runs the length of West Seattle, From its headwaters at Roxhill Park to Elliot Bay, the creek is an important part of this city’s story and that of our community.  We want your personal stories of the creek in this community Diary of Longfellow – past experiences, current activities or special memories, all help to tell the tapestry of Longfellow’s story throughout time.  If you have historic photos of the creek that you would like to share as a part of this project, please email:   museum@longhousemuseum.org

This is a collaborative project with Log House Museum, Duwamish Alive Coalition, Delridge Neighborhood Development Assn, and Tom Reese.

                             SHARE YOUR LONGFELLOW CREEK STORIES

Rescuing Roxhill Bog …. Why it matters, What has been accomplished so far.

As one of the last remaining ancient peat bogs (over 10,000 years old) in Seattle, Roxhill Bog has a unique ecosystem and is the headwaters of Longfellow Creek, which runs 3.5 miles through West Seattle before it reaches Elliot Bay.  Roxhill Bog plays an important part of the creek’s watershed, as the drainage basin for sixty surrounding acres, collecting sediments and pollutants from rain and storm water run off. Plants absorb some pollutants while the spongy peat soil helps filter sediments, essential for providing healthy water quality. Longfellow Creek is one of Seattle’s few salmon spawning creeks.

Climate change and urbanization has impacted the health of Roxhill Bog, reducing the amounts of water flowing into the wetland to maintain its healthy ecosystem.  Water that would normally flow into the bog has been diverted into storm drainage systems while climate change has increased summer temperatures and reduced rainfall causing the peat to dry and degrade.  Visit our Roxhill Bog page for additional information and to get updates on the restoration project.

Volunteer in making your community and natural spaces healthier!