Green Cities Toolbox

General Green Cities Resources
Green Redmond Partnership Resources
Green Tacoma Partnership Resources
Green Kent Partnership Resources
Seattle-Tacoma Urban Forest Restoration Project

General Green Cities Resources

Regional Standardized Monitoring

In order to understand the success, value, and effectiveness or our restoration activities, the Green Cities have implemented a set of Standardized Monitoring Protocols. These protocols lay out data collection procedures that can be replicated over time to measure change at restoration sites. Contact your partnership coordinator to learn more about how you can get involved! You can also email forestmonitoring@earthcorps.org to learn about training and volunteer opportunities. Download the 2013 Monitoring Field Guide {PDF} here.

Instructional Videos

The following videos were creating using a grant from the US Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program. You will need to register (simply enter your name and an email address) to view the videos.

• Plot Monitoring
• Live Stakes
• Plants and Installation
• Volunteer Management
• Invasive Plant Removal

The following videos have more useful information about urban natural area restoration. If you have something you'd like to see here, let us know!

• How to Compost On-site, by the Washington Conservation Corps crew
• Tree Planting by Tree People in Santa Monica, CA (don't worry about the gopher cages, but this video still has some great info, especially tool safety at the beginning)

Native Plant Nurseries

• Listing of native plant nurseries compiled by King County
• Ivy FREE nurseries complied by Ivy O.U.T.

Determining Area

• Calculating Square Footage and Cubic Yards

Agency Training Materials
Through funding provided by the US Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program, Green City Partnerships held four separate trainings covering volunteer management, noxious weed identification and management, native plant identification and planting techniques, and dealing with homeless encampments. Thank you to the presenters for allowing us to post the presentations and materials.

• Common Hazards of Homeless Encampments (Courtesy of Chris Ott, City of Tacoma)
• Homeless Services: Mapping an end to homelessness (Courtesy of Colin DeForrest and Kelly Crouch, City of Tacoma)
• Plant Identification and Selection (Courtesy of Justin Howell, Applied Ecology LLC)
• Volunteer Management for the 21st Century (Courtesy of Rick Lynch, Lynch Associates)
• Invasive Plants and Noxious Weeds: Identification and Management (Courtesy of Sasha Shaw, King County Noxious Weed Control Program)

Asian Longhorned Beetle Resources
The Washington State Department of Agriculture wants citizens to be on the lookout for Asian Longhorned Beetles (ALB), and you can help by reviewing these resources and reporting any evidence you find. This exotic wood-boring beetle is wreaking havoc on the East coast, and could be a potential devastator in Washington. Check out the resources on how to identify ALB and how to report any sightings.

• ALB Fact Sheet
• ALB Look-alike Sheet
• Pest Monitoring Instructions and Data Collection Sheets
• Pest Monitoring Presentation (Courtesy of Yolanda Inguanzo, USDA APHIS)

Return to Top of Page

Green Redmond Partnership Resources

• Forest Steward Field Guide

Tips, Tricks, and Links

• Advice from Green Seattle Partnership Forest Stewards
• Advice from Friends of the Burke Gilman Trail
• Work Party Check List

Forms

• Emergency Response Form
• Event Request Form
• Forest Steward Field Guide
• Volunteer Sign-in Sheet
• Work Log: (Event) E-Form to fill out electronically
• Work Log (Events) to print and fill out by hand
• Work Log: (Individual) E-Form to fill out electronically
• Work Log: (Individual) to print and fill out by hand
• Youth Release Waiver

Maps, Posters, etc

• Green Redmond Partnership Map

Return to Top of Page

Green Tacoma Partnership Resources

• Habitat Steward Field Guide

Helpful Tips, Information, and Links

• Washington Native Plant Society (WNPS) Starflower Resources - Materials include hands-on activities, native plant identification cards, weed identification cards, and informational posters.

• UW Burke Museum Herbarium - A comprehensive collection of photos and information on plants and lichens of Washington.

• Sound Native Plants Fact Sheets - Fact sheets ranging from evaluating plant health before planting to weed control methods.

• King County Going Native - This site features a native plant guide, how-to articles, and other helpful resources.

• USDA Plant Database - The database provides information about vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens found in the US.

• Pierce County Noxious Weed Control Board - Site provides information on noxious weeds, weed laws, and other helpful resources.

Forms

• Emergency Response Form
• Event Request Form
• Event Work Log
• Habitat Steward Record of Hours
• Metro Parks Tacoma Volunteer Event Summary
• Volunteer Event Welcome Guide
• Volunteer Sign-in Sheet
• Work Party Checklist

Maps, Posters, etc

• Green Tacoma Partnership Project Area Poster

Return to Top of Page