Stormwater Messaging Toolkit Date (if desired) By Betsy Adams Catch basins and MS4’s and engineered bioretention cells – oh my! The jargon-rich vocabulary of the stormwater world can be a big barrier to outreach staff working to convey the importance of and increase...

Openness, Collaboration, and Co-Creation: Realizing the Full Potential of Nature-Based Solutions Date (if desired) By Mark DeLaurier The potential for nature-based solutions (NBS) continues to rise, and new research points the way toward realizing those possibilities...

King County The Green Stormwater Infrastructure Overview and Accomplishment Report Date (if desired) The 2017-2018 Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) Overview and Accomplishment Report highlights King County Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) and Seattle Public...

White Center Meet the First Seattle Restaurant to Tackle Stormwater Pollution Date (if desired) By Will Chen Toxic stormwater runoff is Seattle’s #1 source of pollution. During heavy rains, stormwater surges through city pipes. These surges can cause overflows that...

TREE PLANTING PROJECTS KICK OFF AROUND PUGET SOUND Date (if desired) By Hannah Kett As fall gets under way in Washington state, there is one type of nature that is top of mind for many people: trees. With leaves changing colors to create a beautiful backdrop, it is...

“We specialize in multicultural outreach.” Those were Ruben Chi Bertoni’s first words when he introduced us to the work of ECOSS. Quick to follow was this impressive statistic: there are 15 languages currently represented on the staff (and at times, that number has been even higher).

The 2018 Urban Forest Symposium brought together a diverse range of practitioners and thought leaders to discuss and share pertinent information regarding trees in our urban areas. The day included speakers from around the region and beyond to discuss the value – and challenges – of partnership in this work. This year’s event was transformative, with inspirational speakers invigorating attendees to build partnership, think creatively, and collaborate equitably.

Every month or so, City Habitats will put a spotlight on the work of one of our partner organizations that has exemplified truly innovative and inclusive projects toward implementing green stormwater infrastructure in the region. We hope that these Partner Spotlights will give other organizations an opportunity to learn about similar work and inspire them to seek collaborative efforts. On a sunny day in Seattle, I sat down with Aaron Clark, the Director of Strategic Partnerships for Stewardship Partners. Stewardship Partners represent one of the original convening members of the City Habitats coalition, the convener of the yearly Puget Sound Green Infrastructure Summit, and perhaps the most appropriate organization to be highlighted for our first City Habitats Partner Spotlight.

The expansion of urban areas around the world has increased the number of impervious surfaces such as sidewalks, roofs, and roads. When it rains and the resulting stormwater hits the ground, these impervious surfaces can have negative impacts on both the surrounding community and environment. When water can’t be absorbed into the ground, it may cause flooding of roads and other infrastructure. When stormwater travels over impervious surfaces, it also picks up pollutants from the ground and transports them into local waterways.