Category: natural areas

cheastyPAT, communication, greenspaces, natural areas, outreach, urban issues1 Comment

Seattle’s Natural Areas – requests for policy info and more

Mark Ahlness

Today Seattle Nature Alliance sent a letter to the City Council and several other organizations. We asked for information on development of the new greenspaces/natural areas policy that Parks Superintendent Williams mentioned last August. We also recommended the Cheasty PAT be dismissed or postponed until AFTER the new natural areas policy has been developed and approved: Revised permanent use policy for Seattle’s Natural Areas and Greenbelts (pdf) Feel free to distribute it, and please let the City Council know how you feel. Thanks! Continue reading Seattle’s Natural Areas – requests for policy info and more

cheasty, development, natural areas10 Comments

Mitigating the Loss of Nature, part 1

Mark Ahlness

It might not seem like that much – say, 5,000 square feet, the size of an average city lot in Seattle. But when you look at what once was living there and the current deadness of the space surrounded by a vibrant forest, well… This horseshoe pit in Lincoln Park was built in the mid 1930’s by the WPA. It has not been used regularly in decades. Its most frequent activity these days is a weekend beer party in the summer. See over 100 pictures taken there in the last eight months. There are six trees growing within its chain … Continue reading Mitigating the Loss of Nature, part 1

natural areas, reading, urban issues1 Comment

Reading challenges

Mark Ahlness

Since posting Summer Reading a couple of weeks ago, I’ve been drawn into reading on the environment which has become more and more challenging, in the sense that my preconceived ideas and notions have been repeatedly taken to task, and I have been asked to look at things differently, and to even look at issues that I never even thought about. Here are three of the most recent: From National Geographic, a discussion of the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act in, 50 Years of Wilderness. The adding of new wilderness areas brings more challenges to the maintenance and regulation issues surrounding … Continue reading Reading challenges