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Real Briefings

Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors

BEL-SHA-2024-09-19 September 19, 2024 City Council Regular Meeting City of Bellingham
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The Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors convened for their regular meeting on September 19, 2024, focusing primarily on updates to ongoing stewardship programs, construction progress on Western Washington University's Longhouse project, and infrastructure improvements throughout the arboretum. The meeting featured comprehensive presentations on the Parks Stewardship Program's expanded volunteer efforts and new Conservation Corps crew acquisition, alongside updates on recently completed kiosk installations at key arboretum entrances. Board members engaged in substantive discussion about trail maintenance priorities, including potential Washington Trails Association partnership work on the South Ridge trail reroute and invasive species removal projects. The Longhouse construction, approved in July with a completion target of July 2025, has begun in earnest with significant infrastructure work visible throughout the site, though access to the upper parking areas remains available to the public. The board also initiated discussions about revising the land acknowledgement and arboretum purpose statement to better integrate indigenous perspectives and the House of Healing project into the arboretum's mission. Additionally, members reviewed the operating policy document, identifying multiple sections requiring updates to reflect current practices and new facilities.

**Minutes Approval:** - Motion to approve May 2024 meeting minutes - Vote Count: Approved unanimously - Key Details: Minutes included summary of rock climbing policy discussion **No formal votes w…

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**Stewardship Program Expansion:** The Parks Stewardship Program reported significant growth with 16 positions (3 full-time permanent), including 7 Park Ambassadors and 2 returning AmeriCorps members. The program achieved 11,000 volunteer hours in the previous year, equivalent to 5.25 full-time employees, and planted 2,500 native trees and shrubs from their native plant nursery. A new stewardship coordinator position focused on community gardens and wetland mitigation will be added in 2025. **Conservation Corps Partnership:** Parks secured a Washington Conservation Corps crew for 8 months starting October 1st, shared between Parks and Public Works Natural Resources. This crew will support restoration projects, trail maintenance, and wetland mitigation work, providing significant additional capacity for arboretum stewardship. **Tr…
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**Freya (Parks Stewardship Acting Supervisor)** emphasized the success of volunteer engagement and native plant nursery operations, advocating for continued expansion of community garden programs and highlighting the value of the Conservation Corps partnership for restoration work. **Wayne Galloway (Western Facilities)** reported on successful kiosk installation completion and expressed willingness to …
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**Freya, on volunteer program impact:** "We had 11,000 volunteer hours, which is the equivalent of 5 and a quarter full time employees working on restoration projects, about 2,500 native trees and shrubs planted." **Wayne Galloway, on land acknowledgement concerns:** "I would much prefer it to be something that would incorporate the whole scope of what we do not just in these meetings, but also what I'm doing to care for the Arboretum." **Board member, on arboretum purpose:** "Let's say what…
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**Upcoming Deadlines and Actions:** - Washington Trails Association meeting scheduled for September 20, 2024 - Conservation Corps crew begins work October 1, 2024 - Burnham Wood kiosk installation pending completion of parking lot construction project - Board subcommittee (Wayne and board member) to meet before next meeting to draft land acknowledgement revision - Winter and spring arboretum work party schedules to be fi…

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The arboretum gained significantly enhanced stewardship capacity through the Conservation Corps crew acquisition and expanded Parks Stewardship Program staffing. Four new kiosks were successfully installed at key entrance points (Old Main/Eaton's Hall area, 32nd Street, and Jersey Street), with improved signage and rules posting. The board initiated a formal …
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# Sehome Hill Arboretum Stewardship and Longhouse Construction Updates The Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors met on September 19, 2024, at what appears to be a campus location, with the meeting beginning just after 4 PM. The atmosphere was one of transition — both seasonal, as chair noted the signs of fall, and institutional, with new faces in key positions and major construction underway. The board welcomed new Assistant Vice President for Facilities Tracy, though she was unable to attend due to another commitment. The meeting opened with the land acknowledgment recognizing the Lekwamish Lumie and Nooksack peoples as the traditional inhabitants of Sehome Hill, followed by a discussion that would later circle back to questions about how to better integrate indigenous perspectives into the arboretum's mission. ## Comprehensive Parks Stewardship Update The meeting's centerpiece was an extensive presentation by Freya, the acting supervisor of the Park Stewardship Program, who provided a detailed overview of operations across Bellingham's park system. Freya, an environmental studies graduate from Western who has spent nearly 15 years in Bellingham, outlined the program's impressive scope: 16 total positions supporting restoration work, with only three full-time permanent staff supplemented by part-time interns and AmeriCorps members. The numbers Freya presented revealed the scale of community engagement in park stewardship: 11,000 volunteer hours in the previous year — equivalent to five and a quarter full-time employees — resulting in 2,500 native trees and shrubs …
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### Meeting Overview The Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors met to receive updates on park stewardship programs, review new kiosk installations, discuss construction progress on the Longhouse project, and review policy documents. The meeting focused heavily on the expanded stewardship program under new leadership and upcoming Conservation Corps crew assignments. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Park Stewards Program:** An "adopt-a-trail" style program where individuals can sign up to maintain specific sections of parks, requiring background checks and site work plans. **Conservation Corps Crew:** A Washington state program providing crews for restoration and maintenance work, shared between Parks and Public Works Natural Resources departments. **Longhouse Project:** Western Washington University's construction of an indigenous cultural center at Sehome Hill, with substantial completion planned for July 2025. **Native Plant Nursery:** City facility housing 3,000-7,000 native plants and trees for restoration projects, currently located near Happy Valley Park. **Social Trails/User Trails:** Unofficial paths created by foot traffic that may need to be formalized or decommissioned. **Yellow Archangel:** An invasive mint species targeted for removal through sheet mulching techniques. **Interlocal Agreement:** Legal document governing the partnership between the City of Bellingham and Western Washington University for arboretum management. **Trail Design Standards:** Specifications for trail width, surface materials, and accessibility requirements. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Freya | Acting Supervisor, Park Stewardship Program | | Wayne Galloway | Western Washington University representative | | Steve | City of Bellingham Parks staff |…
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Parks & Recreation Environmental Government Operations Conservation Corps Parks Department Washington Trails Association Western Washington University Freya Freya Lastname Wayne Galloway Accessibility Arboretum Stewardship Conservation Construction Projects Indigenous Perspectives Invasive Species Land Acknowledgement Parks Recreation Stewardship Programs Trail Maintenance Volunteer Programs Website Development