Duwamish Hill Preserve Nursery, 3800 S. 115th St., Tukwila, WA 98168

Owned by Seattle City Light

The Duwamish Hill Preserve Nursery is adjacent to the Duwamish Hill Preserve, a 10.5 acre parcel of historical, cultural and ecological significant land in Tukwila; serving as an outdoor classroom for students, a gathering place for restoration volunteers, a culturally significant location for Native Americans. The Preserve is managed as a public open space preserve dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of its rich Native American cultural history, ecological importance and community impact.

The Preserve’s unique ecosystem within the Duwamish Watershed hosts many rare species of flora and fauna. To aid in the restoration of the Preserve’s natural habitat, in a joint effort with Seattle City Light and Forterra, volunteers are now beginning to propagate these rare plant species in the newly created Duwamish native plant nursery adjacent to the Duwamish Hill Preserve. These plants will support the habitat needs of the many creatures living in this unique area while reflecting the historical fauna. Plants are grown from seed gathered from native plants which were common to this area but have been crowded out from invasive plants and development.

Stewardship Partner

Forterra and Seattle City Light

Creation of the Preserve In 2001, Forterra, the City of Tukwila and local citizen group Friends of the Hill formed a partnership to work towards the preservation of a 10.5 acre parcel slated for industrial development. The land was successfully acquired in 2004 by the Forterra (then Cascade Land Conservancy) and the City of Tukwila. In September 2010, after many years of hard work by volunteers, the Duwamish Hill Preserve was officially opened to the public

Due to its elevated position above the Duwamish River, the Hill offered a vantage point from which Native Americans could watch for incoming groups and communicate with fellow tribe members along the Duwamish River Valley. Additionally, the Hill is associated with the southern Puget Sound Salish oral tradition as the key location in the stories collectively known as the “Epic of the Winds” as the location of Chinook Wind’s mother’s home:

The hill from which the preserve gets its name is a glacial remnant and within the preserve many species of flora and fauna that are rarely seen along the banks of the Duwamish River can be found.

The Friends of the Hill make up a core group of dedicated volunteers that host monthly restoration work parties at the Hill and offer local community members a chance to contribute to the restoration of this amazing preserve. For more information on when these restoration and nursery volunteer opportunities take place, please visit our events page. For more information or questions visit www.forterra/volunteer.org

Nicole Marcotte, Forterra
Phone: 206-905-6909
Email: nmarcotte@forterra.org