The November 15th planting day work party was the sixth forest restoration event we had held in six weeks. The first five work parties focused on preparing the site for the 33 native trees and 220 native shrubs and ground covers we would be planting. This was our fall 2018 plant list:
On November 15, 2017, a corporate group from DocuSign came to work at our restoration site. The event was held on their Global IMPACT Day. At that time, I looked up the philosophy behind Impact Day and found this statement:
We believe character is defined through action. With DocuSign IMPACT, we are committed to putting this character into action by harnessing the power of DocuSign’s people, products, and profits to make a difference in the global communities in which our employees and customers live and work.
Employees from DocuSign returned for another IMPACT day on April 27, 2018 and they would also be doing our Fall 2018 planting. I love working with them and was eager for their arrival.
The big day finally arrived. This time, 22 employees participated. Our staff consisted of Maya from Forterra; Susan, a Forest Steward from another Cheasty Greenspace site; Claire and Shirley from GreenFriends and me.
After a brief orientation, we got to work. I think the photographs below say it all!
(Click on any of the galleries to enlarge the photos.)
Once again, the DocuSign employees did amazing work and I think everyone had a good time. Rumor has it that they may come back again in April. I sure hope that is the case!
I offer my heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated in our planting day and to everyone who helped prepare for it. Each person made a significant and important contribution to returning this stretch of Seattle’s Greenbelt to a healthy forest.
Living, Learning and Letting Go 
Saving the planet one event after another, so very cool!
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Involving students and community members in this effort is such a strength to the program, and I’m impressed you’ve been able to bring in so many diverse populations.
I was surprised to see trailing blackberries listed as one of the ground covers you’ll be planting. Blackberries!? After hundreds of hours pulling up blackberries? Had never heard of trailing blackberries, and was only able to find this article that discusses briefly the difference between the invasive Himalayan blackberries you’ve been pulling up, and the native trailing blackberries. Wonderful! And may they provide food for the creatures living in this area.
https://www.seattletimes.com/life/food-drink/the-pacific-northwests-better-and-native-blackberry/
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I’m glad that you discovered that trailing blackberries are not invasive. Apparently only non-native plants are invasive. We’ve had trouble with volunteers confusing them with the Himalayan blackberries and pulling them out so I’ve started putting yellow flags around them, at least for now! We also put a lot of them in one area rather than spreading them in many places. Maybe that will help too.
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