Duwamish Alive!  Celebrating 20 Years of Improving the Health of the Duwamish Watershed through Collaborative Stewardship 

JUNE IS ORCA ACTION MONTH — WAYS TO GET INVOLVED!

LAST MONTH FOR VIEWING THE GREEN-DUWAMISH RIVER PHOTO EXHIBIT

FREE at the Tukwila Community Center, 12424 42nd Ave S, Tukwila, WA 98168 during the center’s hours of operation. All ages welcome  Closes July 6th

From its pristine headwaters near Mt Rainier, above the Howard Hanson Dam through a magical gorge of waterfalls and great walls on to farmland and urban industry, the Green-Duwamish River and its watershed is at the center of our region’s history and future.  This unique photo exhibit presents a modern view of the river from its headwaters to where it meets Puget Sound, interweaving the human and wildlife connections of the river.   Presented by renowned photojournalist and author Tom Reese, who has been twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, and Lisa Parsons, a well respected conservationist and photographer.  Experience for the first time a view of the river from its mountain top beginnings to the Puget Sound with these stunning photographs.

                 Summer Volunteer Opportunities

 Joined us in celebrating Seattle and Tukwila’s only RIVER, the Duwamish, as we help care for its special salmon and all the wildlife within this watershed.

Our partner are working at multiple sites: on the river removing debris, caring for salmon habitat and our upland forests in an effort to improve native habitat health and water quality not only for our salmon and orca but all wildlife and communities within the Duwamish Watershed.  Joined us in celebrating Seattle and Tukwila’s only RIVER, the Duwamish, as we help care for its special salmon and all the wildlife within this watershed.

Our forested areas such as the West Duwamish Greenbelt, one of the largest in the lower section of the river, provides 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 Duwamish River ecosystem supports 5 salmon species including the threatened Chinook salmon which is a critical food source for our Southern Resident 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 are honored to help steward these lands and waters that are the ancestral home of the Duwamish Peoples.

Green Tukwila Partnership 

The Green Tukwila Partnership cares for many natural areas in Tukwila, including Duwamish Hill which 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.

DIRT Corps

t̓uʔəlaltxʷ Village Park and Shoreline Habitat, Seattle Port of Seattle

This is the original location of the Herrings House Longhouse of the Duwamish Peoples and now is one of the few salmon habitats in the lower portion of the river, providing food and shelter for juvenile salmon as they enter Elliot Bay. Volunteers have steward this area creating habitat which supports these young fish on their journey to Puget Sound.  Volunteers will be removing invasive plants and replacing them with native plants.  This lovely small park is tucked away amongst the river’s maritime industries along the river.

 Delridge Neighborhood Development  Association, West Seattle   

Upland forests are important part of the river’s ecosystem, providing many benefits to the watershed and communities.  DNDA helps stewards  the West Duwamish Greenbelt, Seattle’s largest forest of over 500 acres and the salmon, Longfellow Creek. Many volunteering experiences include art activities.  Great for families and  all ages.

 Puget Soundkeeper Alliance

Experience Seattle in kayaks while removing debris from from our local waters.   This is a great time to be on the water helping to improve its health and that of marine life.  Learn about what you can do from being a pollution spotter to cleaning up our bodies of water.

Herrings House Park, Seattle     Green Seattle Partnership

Herrings House Park adjoins həʔapus Village Park along the river and provides one of  the largest salmon habitats 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.

Learn more about our salmon and our local natural world by listening to Duwamish Alive on Rainier Ave. Radio on Tuesdays at 4:00pm
​                          Duwamish Alive on Rainer Ave Radio

2026 Duwamish River Habitat Symposium Presentation Slides  Feb 24

Vigor Shipyards Habitat Project: Lessons Learned in in Habitat Restoration in an Industrial Context, Seattle
Amanda McKay, Floyd|Snider; Jason Toft, Principal Research Scientist, UW School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences; Scott Stainer, PE, KPFF​                                    

Duwamish River People’s Park & Shoreline Habitat, Seattle
Kathleen Hurley and Jenn Stebbings, Port of Seattle     

Nucor/General Recycling of Washington Habitat Project: Lessons Learned in Design and Construction, Seattle

                Amanda McKay, Floyd|Snider and Scott Stainer, KPFF

  Restoration in the Upper  Duwamish:  Duwamish Gardens and the Riverton Creek Flapgate Removal Projects
Mike Perfetti–City of Tukwila,  Iris Kemp – WRIA 9

Herrings House Park & Salmon Habitat, Seattle
David Graves, and Matthew Hilliard, Seattle Parks and Recreation

 State of Restoration in the Lower Duwamish River

             Jen Steger and Terill Hollweg, NOAA Restoration Center