Birds, Butterflies and Bees for Burien in 2019

This program was funded by the Port of Seattle’s Airport Community Ecology “ACE” small grants fund.
We partnered with the City of Burien, the National Wildlife Federation, New Start Academy in the Highline School District, the New Start Community Garden and other non-profits to deliver this program on pollinators.  We installed native plants that provide important habitat for pollinators and native birds in a Burien Park, hosted classes and a workshop in the Spring on birdhouse making which was open to the community, presented information at booths during the Burien Farmers Market in the summer, and worked with New Start Academy for a unit on birds and pollinators and another birdhouse building project for students.

Wrap-up Report on the 2018 ACE (Airport Community Ecology) Grant
We’re proud to report these accomplishments. “Making Burien Awesome” Program Evaluation:  Coming soon!

Want to build a Chickadee Birdhouse?  View the Plan and Download Here

Below is our calendar of events that supported this program. The program started with our first public event in February 2019 and continued throughout the year with many other events.  The culmination of the program was our last class of the series on Sustainable Gardening in September of 2019.
Volunteers earned Community service hours at all events.  To sign up for future events, Contact Grace at 425.228.7927

Many Thanks to our Partners for this Program!

Events and Activities with our Partners

 

February 16, 2019 Sat

  • Bird Fest at Burien Community with Environmental Science Center

February 16, 2019 Sat @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Burien Community Center, 14700 6th Ave SW, Burien, WA 98166
Information booth on Wildlife Gardening to attract Birds, Butterflies and Bees to your yard or balcony


March 16, 2019

  • Potting up bare-root plants for April projects with the National Wildlife Federation habitat stewards for the Mathison Park  Pollinator Garden.   Community volunteers welcome!

March 16, 2019 Sat @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Contact Grace at 425.228.7927 for details or to sign up.
Gloves and a light lunch provided.


April 13, 2019 Sat – 2 Activities

  • Morning Class on Butterflies & Native Pollinators: Garden Habitat & Restoration presented by Julie O’Donald

April 13, 2019 Sat @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am
Burien Community Center, 14700 6th Ave SW, Burien, WA 98166, USA

This class presented by Julie O’Donald will cover a range of topics and identify a variety of pollinators that may be found in Puget Sound gardens and natural areas. Julie shares tips about landscape features that promote healthy pollinator populations.  Photos and identification of local pollinators are included. The program will provide a look at native plants beneficial to pollinators and show ways to incorporate native plants into garden and park landscapes. In August 2012, a rare pollinator was discovered in Julie’s habitat garden in Brier, WA. She will explain the steps that led to making a pollinator friendly garden and the re-discovery of a missing pollinator, Bombus occidentalis, aka Western Bumble Bee.

Volunteers needed at 8:AM for set-up, arranging chairs, sign-up.

 

  • Afternoon Birdhouse Building Workshop

April 13, 2019 Sat @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Burien Community Center, 14700 6th Ave SW, Burien, WA 98166, USA
Volunteers help in the afternoon with the birdhouse construction workshop.  Tools and materials provided.
These events are presented by the Nature Stewards Program and made possible by a grant from the Port of Seattle, Airport Community Ecology Fund “Birds, Butterflies, and Bees for Burien.”

Building Birdhouse with volunteers at the Burien Community Center.


Julie’s Class on Pollinators had a huge turnout, and we brought in more chairs to accommodate all attendees! 
Approximately 50+ adults attended and a few youngsters.


April 19, 2019 Fri

  • Mark your calendar! Arbor Day – Earth Day Tree Planting with the City of Burien at the north end of Arbor Lake Park

April 19, 2019 Friday – 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Arbor Lake Park, 12380 2nd Ave S, Burien, WA 98168, USA


April 20, 2019 Sat

  • NWF Habitat Stewards and Community Volunteers Plant and Mulch Native Pollinator Plants in Mathison Park.
    All volunteers welcome. Many hands make light work. Gloves, tools, and light lunch provided.

    April 20, 2019 Sat @ 10:00 am4:00 pm

     


April 22, 2019 Mon

  • Earth Day planting and activities with New Start Academy high school at the New Start Community Garden. Gloves and tools provided. Native plants supplied by a grant from Port of Seattle Airport Community Ecology Fund. Time TBA. Check back for further details.

    April 22, 2019 Mon @ 9:00 am11:00 am
    New Start High School, 614 SW 120th St, Seattle, WA 98146

  • Second phase with entire school planting native plants at NSCG

    April 22, 2019 Mon @ 1:30 pm3:00 pm

Earth Day event 2019 – Students installed Native Plants in the New Start Community Garden, Edible Native Plant Section.


Girls Scouts planted native plants at New Start Community Garden.


April 27th, 2019 Thu

Plant Pollinator Plants at the Hazel Valley Rain Garden
Learn how to Garden for Wildlife, and attract Birds, Butterflies and Bees to your Yard

Installing A Community Rain Garden with volunteers and Habitat Stewards at the Hazel Valley Community Garden


May 2, 2019 Thu

  • Opening Day of the Burien Farmer’s Market
    Visit the Birds, Butterflies and Bees for Burien Booth and learn how to Garden for Wildlife.

Learn how to “Garden for Wildlife” and about native plants that provide habitat for Bird, Butterflies and Bees.
Volunteers needed at 7:AM to help set up the information booth.


May 14 – 19, 2019 Tue-Sun

  • Wildlife in the City Week with National Wildlife Federation
    On May 18th, 11:00 AM, Nature Stewards and the National Wildlife Federation, along with community volunteers, dedicate the two new Rain Gardens at the Hazel Valley Community Food Garden located behind the Highline United Methodist Church on 128th and 1st Ave SW in Burien, WA.

June 22, 2019 Sat

  • NW Animal and Nature Festival with Discover Burien

June 22, 2019 Sat @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Discover Burien Association, 427 SW 152nd St, Burien, WA 98166

Ranger Rick, National Wildlife Federation mascot, visits our information booth about creating Wildlife Habitats to attract Birds, Butterflies and Bees to your yard or balcony.

Visit the Calendar Page for the all upcoming volunteer projects, pollinator class and workshop.

Plants for Birds from Audubon.org on Vimeo.

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July 4, 2019 Thu

  • 4th of July Parade in Downtown Burien. Volunteers carried the Nature Stewards banner “Birds, Butterflies and Bees for Burien” in the parade. Contact Grace 425.228.7927 to sign-up. Volunteers were in place at beginning of parade route at 2:30 PM with 3 bee costumes and 2 butterfly wing costumes which accompanied the Birds, Butterflies and Bees for Burien banner.

    July 4, 2019 Thu @ 3:00 pm5:00 pm

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July 9 – 11, 2019 Tue, Wed, Thursday – 3 Day Workshop

Volunteers, Grace Stiller of Nature Stewards, Irene Danysh of Community Visions, and Aurelio Barajas and Norma Ortiz of New Futures, helped with the kid’s Native Bird Workshop and Birdhouse Building project at Seahurst Park with . The New Futures Van with kids departed for the the south shelter in Seahurst  Park at 9:45.  Class began at 10:00 AM. Two sessions for 2 groups of kids continued throughout the day. Parking was free at the Ed Munro Seahurst Park (1711 SW 140th St, Burien, WA.)

Thank you to the Pacific Northwest Council of Regional Carpenters and the Puget Sound Carpenter Sisters Group who donated the labor to make the birdhouse kits for the youth projects. We greatly appreciate you!

Seahurst Park in Burien – Day 1 of the Workshop

Kids built their birdhouses at Seahurst Park.

Painting the Birdhouses – Day 2 of the Workshop

De Colores! Kids Painted the birdhouses at the New Futures Community Room.

Birdhouse Placement on Trees in Burien – Day 3 of the Workshop

Birdhouses were placed on the third day of the program. Thanks to the all the volunteers and kids in Burien that helped with this wildlife habitat project!


Saturday, September 1410:00am – 1:00pm

Class on Sustainable Water Practices for Your Pollinator Garden and How to implement them. Volunteers helped set up for the event.

 

Burien Community Center 14700 6th Ave SW, Burien, WA 98166, USA

We had 45 attend this popular Sustainable Water Use class. Attendees went home with manuals containing pictures and diagrams on “how to” install a water catchment system for home and garden use.