Advocacy
Header photo: Varied thrush in the Sorbus Collection (courtesy Larry Hubbell).
SR 520 Bridge impacts, Parks Levy & more
As part of our core mission to sustain and protect the Washington Park Arboretum, the Foundation engages in advocacy at the local, city, and state levels. Examples include:
- Our work to minimize the impacts of the SR520 Bridge replacement project on the Arboretum and secure mitigation funding from the project for improvements, such as the Arboretum Loop Trail.
- Our support of the 2008 Parks and Green Spaces Levy, which allocated roughly $2.5 million to Washington Park Arboretum to fund Master Plan projects such as the Pacific Connections Garden.
Other important advocacy initiatives have included working to secure funding at the state level for Arboretum curation, and working at the city level to secure funding for Arboretum maintenance and operations.
How You Can Help
Please help support our advocacy efforts by joining as a member, by donating to the Foundation, making your voice heard at public meetings, and/or voting to protect our treasured urban green space at the ballot box.

Arboretum Partners doing a celebratory “vine cutting” to open the new Arboretum Loop Trail.
Photo by: @samfuphoto

Woodland Meadow Project: Public Meeting Dec 7
Nov 17, 2023
The current Crabapple Meadow is usable in summer but waterlogged for much of the year.The Woodland Meadow Project reimagines the current Crabapple Meadow (site of the Arboretum's original field nursery) as a year-round gathering and celebration space. While the...

Jim Olsen: Our Volunteer of the Year!
Nov 3, 2023
Jim Olsen receiving his award the greenhouse's monthly potluck on Halloween.Congratulations to Jim Olsen, winner of our 2023 Volunteer of the Year Award! Our volunteer programs manager, Lily King, presented the award to Jim at the Pat Calvert Greenhouse’s monthly pot...

Public Meeting for Japanese Garden Master Plan Project: November 16
Oct 25, 2023
In partnership with Seattle Parks and Recreation, the Arboretum Foundation is developing a plan to reconstruct the stone wall at the north end of the Seattle Japanese Garden pond, modify the pathways in this area to improve accessibility, and add a new garden...