The Tree Equity Network facilitates conversations, builds consensus to impact local policy, promotes volunteerism and works to increase youth and public understanding of the importance of tree canopy and greenspaces through workshops, restoration events, community gatherings.
🌲 Network Gatherings: Sometimes in-person, sometimes virtually, we meet at least 3 times per year to build connection, learn something new together, and to either identify new ideas and build plans around them OR support existing programming however we can.
🌲 Volunteer Days: Volunteer Days are a great opportunity for you to build a connection with your neighbors across the city and invest in green spaces that deserve our care and attention. One of the many components of building climate resilience is connecting community and doing our part in taking care of our green spaces to ensure their longevity– here is one of the ways we do that!
Every other month in 2026, we’ll mobilize volunteers to support events happening at Deadhorse Canyon, N SeaTac Park, the S Chicago Street Site of the East Duwamish.
Reminder: restoration events at these sites happen monthly, so you can always go without the Tree Equity Network! Check out their general pages here to see when the next one is!
Deadhorse Canyon
N SeaTac Park
S Chicago Street Site of the East Duwamish
All of us are responsible for keeping these spaces and our communities healthy. Let’s get outside!
🌲 Youth Workshops: ‘Branches of Hope: The Power of Trees and The Power of You’ is a youth-focused environmental justice workshop centered around urban forestry and how we can use our voices for change, no matter our age. For more information or to bring this workshop to your school, class, or youth-focused event, contact celeste@seattleparksfoundation.org.
🌲 Lunch & Learns: Short-and-sweet workshops serving as bite-sized informational sessions to keep us informed and knowledgeable! Each one lasts roughly 30 minutes and focuses on different tree-equity related topics.
🌲 Grant-Making: The Tree Canopy for Climate Resilience Grant (TCCR) is a budding program focused on bolstering creative, grassroots efforts that increase our region’s tree canopy where it is needed most. The TCCR pilot included 5 grants of $10,000 each to organizations across King County doing incredible work. Read more here.
Lunch & Learn Registration: March 2026 – Registration coming soon!
Volunteer Day Registration: March 2026 – Registration coming soon!
Network Gathering Registration: April 2026 – Registration coming soon!
For recaps and photos from these events and more, check out our posts on Instagram @seattleparksfoundation under the #TreeEquityNetwork hashtag!
We believe wholeheartedly in the effectiveness of community and we are confident that we cannot do this alone. Below are some topics we care about but are not leading and some organizations we would like to highlight that are doing that work well.
🌿Affordable Housing
Interim CDA
🌿 Individual Tree Removal Advocacy
Tree Action Seattle
🌿 Food Insecurity and Farming
Friends of Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands
Wakulima USA
We are always looking for more organizations across sectors and focuses whose work we can amplify. Reach out to celeste@seattleparksfoundation.org to share more about what you’re working on.
Our network is made up of many! Anyone who is interested in building King County’s tree canopy equitably and sustainably is welcome. Whoever you may be, we want to invite you to join our network and partner with you to reach our common goal of increasing tree canopy in King County.
We believe we are better together. We know our impact is only as substantial as our relationships and connections with the communities that make up our region.
🌲 Inequitably distributed tree canopy is directly connected to historical redlining. In Seattle specifically, areas like the Central District, South Park, Beacon Hill, Chinatown-International District, and more were redlined—these are all areas that house our neighbors of color. These same areas are the ones with little to no tree canopy, more heat islands, and higher rates of respiratory issues, heat-related deaths, and more.
Increasing tree canopy is not simply a climate issue. It is a justice and equity issue and must be treated as such.
🌲 Most of the trees in King County are located on private land.
That’s why this work is inherently collaborative. We can’t achieve our canopy goals without working together.
🌲 Urban heat islands impact our world on every level. They increase energy consumption (higher use of air conditioners), negatively impact our health (heat-related illnesses, poor air quality, and more!) and worsen our water quality (warm water running through our drains and into our water sources impacts the habitats of aquatic species).
Limiting urban heat islands cannot happen without increased tree canopy. We are healthier and happier with more trees.
🌲Trees are a helping hand in stormwater management. Trees hold large amounts of water (some can hold thousands of gallons!) in their leaves and bark. Oftentimes stormwater carries debris and other toxic waste into our water sources. Trees help to mitigate that by slowly releasing water into the ground and back into the atmosphere.
We save money on our drainage systems, our water sources are healthier, and our air is cooler—all by prioritizing, protecting, and caring for trees in our cities.
Visit our Events Calendar to explore upcoming volunteer opportunities with our partners!
Looking for a way to unite your team in service? Our partners are often looking for volunteers to support their work in parks and public spaces. If you are looking to bring your team together in a service project in partnership with Seattle Parks Foundation and the Tree Equity Network, we will work directly with you to build a project.
The size and scope of projects varies based on the needs and desires of your team, but these curated engagements are typically for larger groups of 50-100 per park with a minimum contribution of $5,000 in support of parks and public spaces.
Contact us at info@seattleparksfoundation.org to learn about corporate engagement opportunities throughout the region.
Donate today to support the collaborative work done by the Tree Equity Network!
You can also directly support our partners’ work:
Duwamish Valley Sustainability Association
Emerald Alliance for People, Nature and Community
Thank you for your support!
Can we keep you in the loop? There are a couple of ways you can connect with us:
1. Slack Discussion Forum: email celeste@seattleparksfoundation.org for the invite link.
2. Tree Equity Network Newsletter: sign up below!
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To make a donation by mail, please send a check payable to Seattle Parks Foundation to:
PO Box 3541
Seattle, WA 98124-3541
If your gift is intended for one of our community partners, please add their name in the memo line or with an accompanying note.
A tax receipt will be mailed to you upon receipt of your contribution.
Thank you!
Have an old car taking up space in your driveway?
Donate it to Seattle Parks Foundation!
We accept most cars, trucks, trailers, boats, RVs, motorcycles, off-road vehicles, heavy equipment, and other motorized vehicles. All or part of your donation may be tax deductible.
To get started, simply complete the online donation form or call 855.500.7433 or 855.500.RIDE to speak to a representative. You can also read more at careasy.org.
