Annual Report to Our Community Fall 2011

COMMUNITY: TWICE AS MANY TODDLERS DISCOVERED THE TALKING TREE SCHOOLS: 50% MORE STUDENTS INSPIRED BY SCIENCE AND NATURE HABITAT: CONSERVATION QUALITY OVER QUANTITY FOR LASTING IMPACT BIRDS: EXPLORING OUR CONNECTION TO THE PACIFIC FLYWAY Increasing our impact: Our community, schools, and habitat

fter more than three years of operations, I am pleased to report that the Seward Park Audubon Center is often presented to the other 40+ centers in the Audubon Anetwork as a leading example for engaging people from widely different backgrounds in learning about and caring for nature. Seward Park was chosen as an urban center site because of its rich diversity of natural habitat as well as human culture, with tens of thousands of people visiting this nearly 300-acre park, rich with old growth forest and freshwater shoreline, every year. We are proud to say that we have achieved what we set out to do: serving up to 15,000 people in our community each year with excellent free and low-cost science and nature programs. In the past year, we increased the number of students served by nearly 50 percent and Gail with glass feathers by artist Michael Dupille. helped restore more than 10,000 square feet of habitat here at the park. This coming year we will explore how we deliver on a sharpened focus from National Audubon Society on providing the greatest conservation impact for birds and their habitats. We look forward to sharing with you how the Seward Park and Seattle ecosystems connect with the birds of the Pacific Flyway.

Best Regards,

Center Director

Summer Camp Soars Many Meet Doug Fir and Garry Oak Our nature camps This year we doubled the impact of our Talking Tree program by provide youth with introducing an evergreen great ways to connect species in addition to with their community our Garry Oak. Thanks and natural world. to a grant from the U.S. Kids spend their sum- Forest Service, our Talking mer exploring nature Tree program expanded to through field trips, hikes, public libraries throughout games, and crafts. New Seattle and King County this year was camp to serve children who for 8- to 10-year-olds Nature Photography campers rode public are not in a formal transit to Seattle Aquarium, Woodland Park which made the summer Zoo, and parks around town to connect their preschool program. even more energetic and passion for artistry and nature. Costumed naturalists exciting! Once again, we taught nearly 1,800 provided scholarships to all who asked. children how trees are important to humans During one of our Explorer Camp Thanks to a Youth Arts night hikes, a Barn Owl flew direct- grant from the City of and animals, how we are ly over our heads and into a nearby Seattle, we were able to the same and different tree. One of our shyest campers provide instruction from from trees, and how we Our new Douglas Fir Talking Tree costume shouted in excitement, “I’ve never can help trees. extended our reach, helping children discover seen a real owl, I mean a real wild six professional nature and the value of trees for birds and people. owl… this is so cool!” wildlife photographers to our Nature Photography campers. We also doubled the offering for this, our most popular Photos below by Youth Photography Campers (left to right): camp. We think you will be as impressed as we are by the quality of Ellie Malone, Marco Smulling, Elliot Hernandez-Sebastian, Ally Sorensen and Mikaela Lipsky the young artists’ photos displayed below.

2 Fellows Bring a Flourish Volunteers Extend our Reach The Center was infused with the energy of four fresh Fellows By Ali McCarthy, Program Naturalist & Volunteer Coordinator this summer thanks to a grant from Toyota TogetherGreen Youth The 2011 Master Urban Naturalist (MUN) program success- Fellowship program and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. fully graduated a new group of local residents who turned You many have their interest in learning about the flora, fauna, and natural seen them history of Seward Park into valuable skills that enrich our out by the programming. The knowledge and perspectives that each par- park’s fabulous ticipant brought playground gave truth for me with engaging to the quote “to nature and art teach is to learn activities, at the twice.” I have Columbia City become a better Farmer’s Market teacher naturalist in the Talking myself by teach- Tree costume, ing and working or around town with the MUNs. shepherding Ram Biyani, as the Talking Tree, trades high fives with spectators at the Rainier Valley Heritage Parade. young nature One fantastic SPROUT volunteer Steve Polyak with Master campers on MUN project was Urban Naturalists Ozias Goodwin, Kristin Jones, the bus as they headed off to Explorer, Adventure, and Nature the Play & Learn and Virginia Tripp joyfully volunteer for a rainy Photography camp excursions. College students Ramanuj Biyani, toddler program. day restoration. Ashley Esgate, Shelby Cramer, and Bryan Reed were so stellar as Laura Grow and camp counselors and community outreach enthusiasts that we Megan McArthur teamed up to provide this outdoor exploration hired all of them to continue on as staff naturalists this fall! of the natural world to more than 40 little ones and adults, with families drawn from throughout the community. The 2011 MUN class continues to benefit the Center and our community through Seward Park celebrates 100 Years! their nature programs and volunteer work. We partnered with the Friends of Seward Park and the Seward Centennial Committee to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Seward Park in style this year. Events launched with a cherry Tracey Silva-Wayling’s Legacy tree-planting ceremony, attended by the Japanese consul, Friends and family wished to honor Seward Park neighbor Tracey commemorating the role the park has played in diplomacy Silva-Wayling’s legacy with a scholarship to inspire women to pursue throughout the years and the inauguration of new basalt trail a degree in higher markers which encourage visitors to venture into the forest education and a on newly-named trails honoring the park’s Native American career in sci- heritage. ence, as she The highlight had later in life. of the summer This summer was a com- we honored munity festival TogetherGreen in the park in Fellow Ashley July featuring Esgate with the old-fashioned first scholarship egg toss and which Ashley will pie-eating use to complete Ashley Esgate accepting check from Brian Wayling. her degree at the contests, his- Antique cars parade in front of the Seward Park toric costume Audubon Center during July’s community festival. University of Washington in education and environmental studies. promenade, and antique car and hydroplane shows. The Center hosted a his- “I promise to keep working hard to reach my goals so that I can tory and research exhibit, in partnership with Cornish College of someday repay everyone for all the kindness, generosity and the Arts and Seattle University, and will host a Centennial-inspired knowledge you have all given to me.” - Ashley Esgate art show and the launch party for a book about the history of Seward Park later in the year.

3 Increasing Our Impact in Schools By Annie Morton, Education Director miles through the forests, along the lake, and by hen Ms. Johnston, a 3rd grade teacher from Dearborn the meadow, learning Park Elementary, called me last spring and said that all about the complex not only did she and her 47 students want to come to W ecosystems and habitats the park for our Guided Nature Walk, but that they were going to of our park. walk to and from the park, I was quite concerned. Dearborn Park Elementary is more than two miles from the park, close to the top At the end of our walk, of Beacon Hill. I assumed that if the students made it to the park I asked my group to on foot they would share their favorite part be late, tired, and of the day. One little difficult to motivate. boy’s hand shot up and he told me how much he “We loved having the opportunity to Boy was I wrong. At enjoyed learning about learn about the different plants, trees, 11:00 sharp a beautiful pileated woodpeckers. and animals. It was the perfect science group of smiling, hap- experience!” – Shmuel Rubinstein, Another child was thrilled py students charged Teacher, Friends of Youth to have seen a bald eagle, down the hill and into and another was very the park to begin excited to know that Lake Washington has salmon in it. Every their picnic lunch. single one of the students wanted to tell me their favorite part of At 11:30 on the dot, the learning experience. We served 5,000 school children this year having left their picnic – an increase of nearly 50 percent! – with area immaculate, As I watched them leave to walk the two miles uphill back to scholarships provided to over 60 percent of our students. these same students school, I was reminded that this is why I do what I do. So that lined up outside the amazing students, from amazing schools, with amazing teachers Center ready and excited to explore the forests of Seward Park. And can experience the beauty of urban ecosystems and be inspired explore we did. Each group of 17 students and chaperones hiked two by nature.

FY11 FINANCIAL SUMMARY July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011

REVENUE Individuals $96,539 23%

Individuals Foundations $68,176 17%

Corporations $12,692 3% Reserves & Other

Foundations Government Grants $ 7,899 2% Events $ 7,925 2%

Earned Income $33,107 8% Corporations Reserves & Other $185,761 45% Gov’t. Grants Earned Income Events TOTAL $412,099

EXPENSES Operations Education & Programs $223,105 54%

Education Outreach & Marketing $106,934 26% & Programs Outreach & Marketing Operations $82,060 20%

TOTAL $412,099

4 Thank You to Our Donors! Gifts received 7/1/10 - 6/30/11

$20,000+ Gordy Frederickson & Diane Sandoval Anonymous Marilyn Heiman & Bob Anderson Otto & Phoebe Haas Fund at Alexander Higgins & Eva McGough The Seattle Foundation Charlie Kahle Kaleidoscope Foundation $10,000 - $19,999 Jim MacLean & Alex Vilela-Cury Morningside Foundation Elisabeth Bottler Sandra Lynn Perkins & Jeffrey Karl Ochsner JiJi Foundation Mark Personius & Jennifer Gaer Peach Foundation The Pew Charitable Trusts Estate of Thomas Renner Margot Dick & Bill Ross Mike Ryan & Dawn Hopkins Thank you to our supporters, including Trice Booth $5,000 - $9,999 Peter Seibert & Ellen Satterthwaite Seibert and Fran and Bunny Woods shown here celebrating Horizons Foundation Sidnie Shaffer & Michael Ellis John James Audubon’s birthday at our annual donor Kelin J. Kuhn Marina Skumanich & Bruce Goodson tea party. Olive Higgins Prouty Foundation Allan L. Smith Jane & Alec Stevens Peter Constable & Lara Rubin Seattle Foundation Stephen Tan Gail Gatton & Mark Wittow Cambria L. Cox & Michael Murphy Washington Women’s Foundation Barbee & Jim Crutcher Nancy Weintraub Tom Darden & Ellen Wallach $2,000 - $4,999 Fran & Bunny Wood Bradford Doll & Julia Shin Paul M. Anderson Foundation Pamela & Kenneth Eakes Sharon Hammel & Harvey Rubinstein $250 - $499 David & Ann Eschenbach Eve McClure & Florence Peterschmidt Anonymous Jennifer Faubion & Amit Ranade Mountaineers Foundation Kenneth & Marleen Alhadeff Jane Fellner & Neal Friedman SPROUT Rhonda & Ed Aronwald Judith Finn Howard L. Storch Fund, Seattle Foundation Karl & Anne Aschenbach Barry & Suzanne Goren Tone Family Fund Kim & Raphael Bernier Laura Grow & Shawn MacDougall Doug & Maggie Walker Yahn Bernier Terry Holme & Jeanne Iannucci Betina F. Simmons & Ian C. Blaine Carolyn & Mark Holtzen $1,000 - $1,999 Kimberly & Harvey Bowen Marjorie & Steven Hunt Nancy Alvord Todd & Tricia Burley Ben & Hannah Justus Julie A. Boardman Scott & Margot Case Dysa Kafoury Dee Boersma Kristina Straus & Peter Clark Richard Wenger & Patricia Killam Beatrice & William Booth Vicky Downs Chuck Lennox & Ken Kaufmann Lauren & Harry Brown Wendy L. Ellis Eunice & Gerhard Letzing Carolyn Foundation Bartow Fite Michael Lipsky City of Seattle, Youth Arts Fund The Frause Group Tanya Matosich Hugh & Suzi Clark Felicia Gittleman Evy McElmeel & Jan Hirschmann Harriett M. Crosby Liz Gorton & Halsey Bell David & Laura Nicol Paul & Jane Crowder Howard Gutknecht & Julie Kerby JoLynn Edwards & Hal Opperman Erin Fairley & Bill Patz Landon Jones & Nancy Ward Curtis & Bobby Pearson Thomas Grismer & June Mackert Kristin Marshall & Eric Ward Kate Roosevelt & Caroline Maillard Mary Ann Hagan Elbert Moore Casey & Deepali Rukeyser Kongsgaard-Goldman Foundation Gena Morgan & Larry Chen Shari Kaufman & Michael Baron Josh & Laura Lipsky Jeannie O’Brien & Kenneth Selander Denise L.Stiffarm & Marc Taylor Microsoft Matching Gift Program Carol & Mark Overbeck Shelley L. Strayer Nintendo Pete & Artis Palmer Irene Svete Mary Pigott Steve Polyak & Suzanne Suneson Mort & Joan Thomas Bill & Betty Rennebohm Doug & Kathie Raff Pieter & Tjitske Van Der Meulen Heather & Luke Rogers Diana H Birkett & Jeffrey Rakow Sara Waterman & Curtis DeGasperi Rotary Club of Rainier RealNetworks Foundation Woody Wheeler & Lori Cohen Mercy Rome & Canuche Terranella Sarah & Bryan Yates $500 - $999 Curtis Vredenburg Brigid & Brad Anderson Nancy L. Ward $5 - $99 Kelly White & Katy McHugh Nannette & Bruce Bassett Thank you to the 82 supporters who made gifts of Ruth Bell & Peter Rossen Fraser & Deidre Black $100 - $249 $5 to $99, totaling $3,415! Gary & Laurie Blevins Anonymous Josh & Erin Brower Jerome R. Arbes & Anne Knight In-Kind Josh Chaitin & Erin Galvin Jessica & James Beattie Trice & Bill Booth Cheryl Clark & Stephan Coonrod Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Lizabeth Coller & Paul Talbert Catherine Conolly & Rodney L. Brown, Jr. Marjorie L. Boetter Martha L. Dunham Deirdre Doyle & Patrick Berkley Tom & Mary Brucker Anne Kroeker & Richard Leeds Mary Jean Strazer & Anthony Draye Robert & Elizabeth Burns Mark Personius & Jennifer Gaer Michael Ehrenberg & Donna Richman Bill & Frankie Chapman Mike Ryan & Dawn Hopkins

5 Conservation Impact: Quality over Quantity By Annie Morton, Education Director

Seward Park Audubon Center connects In the short-term, restoration is very rewarding our community to nature and the power for our students and volunteers. They don gloves, to protect birds and their habitats. The grab a few hand tools, and tackle some of Seward Center is a partnership between National Park’s most damaging invasive species, including Audubon Society and the City of Seattle, blackberry and ivy. Thirty 8th graders can clear Department of Parks & Recreation, and a large patch of ivy threatening to strangle our is part of National Audubon Society’s vision to make conservation the path to a old growth trees in a shockingly short amount of better future by building a constituency as time. diverse as nature to help protect nature. In the long term, however, ivy can re-root from Board of Stewards a single dropped leaf and very quickly re-take the Josh Lipsky, Chair area our students worked so hard to restore. This Rhonda Aronwald year we implemented a new strategy for attack- Julie Boardman ing these invaders which we call Quality over Beatrice Booth Todd Burley Quantity. As we explained to a few thousand Alexander Higgins school children and hundreds more community Yuko Kodama volunteers, we’d rather do an exceptional Master Urban Naturalist Flip O’Reilly Chuck Lennox job clearing 500 square feet of ivy than a less clears Himalayan blackberry behind the Mark Personius thorough job clearing three times as much. Heather Rogers Center. Michael Ryan And it worked! After leaving no leaf behind, no root un-composted, and no tendrils Paul Talbert tenaciously hanging on trees, our restoration plots have remained clear of invasive ivy. ADVISORY BOARD We look forward to working with students to re-plant the areas we cleared with native Ruth Bell plants, which are better for our ecosystem. Joshua Brower Joshua Chaitin Birds, of Course! Honorable Sally Clark Melinda Mann What better place to learn about birds than Chanel Reynolds-Hernando your local Audubon Center? Hundreds of Denise Stiffarm aspiring birders join us on the first Saturday Venus Velazquez morning each month for Birding Basics. After Maggie Walker a briefing by one of our staff naturalists on the how-tos of bird identification, the group heads out to the shoreline and old growth habitat of Seward Park to spot some of the more than Naturalist Ali McCarthy greets a 100 species of birds that visit our park or Barred Owl just off the newly-renamed call it home. Sqebeqsed Trail. In the coming year, Center staff will explore how the local and visiting birds of our community and region connect with the Pacific Flyway and how we can impact vulnerable birds and their habitats with our conservation actions.

Staff Gail Gatton, Center Director Nature Store manager Joey Manson helps neighbors Annie Morton, Education Director select feeders and seed to make their backyard Kimberly Bowen, Development Director habitats a great home for birds, such as the Anna’s Joseph Manson, Nature Store Manager Hummingbird that visits the feeder outside our Ali McCarthy, Program/Volunteer Coordinator store window. Ram Biyani, Naturalist Shelby Cramer, Naturalist Ed Dominguez, Naturalist Ashley Esgate, Naturalist We raise all of the funds from our community to operate the Center and provide Cadi Poile, Naturalist free and low-cost programs. Donate on our web site, send a check to the address Bryan Reed, Naturalist below, or contact Kimberly Bowen at 206-652-2444 x111 or [email protected].

5902 Lake Washington Blvd. S. Seattle, WA 98118 (206) 652-2444 sewardpark.audubon.org Click on Event Calendar or sign up for Chickadee Chatter for event and program news.