Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors (SHABOG)

**Stormwater Facility Restoration:** Extended discussion centered on opportunities for ecological restoration around new stormwater detention facilities near the commissary. The area, covering approximately 4,000 square feet of potential planting space, is currently planned for standard hydro-seeding with grass. Board members explored alternatives including native plant restoration, recognizing constraints related to maintenance access requirements and vegetation restrictions over underground infrastructure. The discussion highlighted tensions between standard municipal maintenance practices (preferring mowed grass) and ecological restoration goals. Christopher Mead agreed to consult with public works…

**Christopher Mead (Project Manager):** Reported construction is progressing well with concrete placement scheduled for October 21st and log installation in mid-December. Emphasized coordination challenges with public works regarding vegetation requirements over stormwater infrastructure. Offered to investigate alternatives to standard grass seeding. **Traci Brewer-Rogstad (Assistant VP of Facilities):** Made her first appearance at the board meeting in her new role, expressing interest in learning about SHABOG's work and staying involve…

**Christopher Mead, on construction timeline:** "We're looking to complete their contract here as soon as we possibly can. We were hoping to be done at the end of October, because of scheduling with the paving company. We're gonna be into November." **Board member, on Douglas fir replanting:** "Just instinctually, I mean everything that I've read about it is this kind of lives within their roots. And so by planting a tree in the same place, I don't. It just seems like you're sentencing it to …

After this meeting, the student ecological restoration research project received official board approval and can proceed with plot establishment and Douglas fir replanting experiments. The board now has a specific restoration opportunity around the new stormwater facilities, with Christopher Mead committed to investigating alternatives to standard grass seeding. Traci Brewer-Rogstad is now formally participating in SHABOG meet…

### Meeting Overview The Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors met on October 17, 2024, with major focus on construction updates for the House of Healing and longhouse project, and approval of a student research proposal addressing Douglas fir dieback in the arboretum. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors (SHABOG):** Advisory board overseeing the management and stewardship of Sehome Hill Arboretum, a forested area managed jointly by Western Washington University and the City of Bellingham. **House of Healing:** A traditional Indigenous longhouse structure being constructed in the arboretum through collaboration between Western Washington University and local Indigenous communities, featuring student learning spaces, gathering hall, and teaching kitchen. **Laminate Root Rot (Phellinus weirii):** A fungal disease affecting Douglas fir trees, causing root decay and tree death, contributing to forest dieback in the arboretum. **Stormwater Detention Facility:** Underground infrastructure designed to manage rainwater runoff, consisting of buried corrugated steel pipes that collect and slowly release water to prevent flooding. **Ecological Restoration:** Scientific practice of assisting the recovery of degraded ecosystems, in this case focused on addressing areas where Douglas fir trees have died back. **Canopy Composition:** The mix of tree species that form the forest's upper layer, which students will study to understand how the forest is changing from coniferous to deciduous dominance. **Hydro Seeding:** Method of planting grass by spraying a mixture of seed, mulch, and water over an area, planned for areas disturbed by construction. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | John (Chair) | SHABOG Chair | | Tracy Brewer-Rogstad | Assistant VP of Facilities, Western Washington University | | Christopher Mead | Project Manager for construction projects | | Travis Tennessen | SHABOG Board Member | | Elsa Lindenmeyr, Luke Schrader, Peyton Bovie | WWU Students, Ecological Restoration Class | | Rebecca Bunn | WWU Fa…