Facilitates purchase of prized property for City of Tukwila park expansion
Aug. 8, 2024 TUKWILA, Wash. – Forterra has facilitated the purchase of two small but important parcels with grant funding to expand Duwamish Hill Preserve. Located on the north end of Tukwila along the Duwamish River, the City of Tukwila now owns the .36-acre property to expand this urban treasure, preventing the threat of development and encroachment of the preserve.
Duwamish Hill is a glacial remnant older than Mount Rainier. Geologically unique, it sits next to a bend on the river near Tribal fishing weirs and traditional cedar canoe landings. Once buried under years of trash, vandalism and junk cars, it’s now full of big trees, an impressive variety of native plants, winding accessible trails, and beautiful interpretive art that captures the rich tribal history of the Puget Sound Salish.
Forterra’s collaboration with the City of Tukwila to protect Duwamish Hill dates back 20 years with the initial purchase of 8.6 acres, and an additional 1.9 acres acquired in 2012. Community involvement and countless efforts by volunteers have helped restore the entire ecosystem of this former industrial storage yard. It opened as a public park in 2010.
“These new acquisitions secure hard-to-find open green space in a highly developed area of the city, and it shows once again how a community is rewarded by Forterra’s patience and persistence,” said Forterra President and CEO Michelle Connor. “We tried to purchase this property a few years ago when we were outbid by another buyer. And we were ready to act quickly when the property came back on the market.”
“These acquisitions fulfill a long-awaited vision to expand the footprint of Duwamish Hill Preserve towards achieving the master planned vision laid out more than 20 years ago. These acquisitions will expand opportunities for community access to open space and expand on restoration goals for the river-facing park,” said Mike Perfetti, the City of Tukwila’s Surface Water Program Manager.
“We are very grateful to long-time partner Forterra, who has been instrumental in the creation of Duwamish Hill Preserve as a community space and has championed the preservation of its unique natural and ecological attributes,” Perfetti added. “We are also extremely grateful to King County and the Conservation Futures Program staff and advisory committee that made this acquisition possible.”
“As a long-time volunteer steward of Duwamish Hill Preserve, I’m both excited and thankful this continued partnership between Forterra and the City of Tukwila secures the final piece of property needed to make the long-term goal of rehabilitating an important section of the Duwamish River shoreline a reality,” said Friend of the Hill Sean Albert. “These properties and the park are located next to some of the most critical salmon habitat on the Duwamish River. For two decades the final stage of river restoration at DHP has been a dream for Friends of the Hill, and now we’re one step closer,” Albert added.
Duwamish Hill Preserve is managed as a public open space preserve dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of its rich Native American cultural history, ecological importance and community impact. The hill is elevated above the Duwamish River offering a vantage point from which Native Americans could watch for incoming groups and communicate with fellow tribe members along the Duwamish River Valley. Today, it serves an excellent outdoor classroom.
WEB LINKS
Duwamish Hill Preserve
Duwamish Hill Preserve
MEDIA CONTACTS
Sandi Peck
Forterra
(360) 870-1038
Brandon Miles
City of Tukwila
(206) 731-9071
ABOUT FORTERRA
Forterra is a Washington state nonprofit land trust that drives land-based solutions to support a healthy environment and resilient communities for all. In its 35 years, Forterra has helped conserve more than 275,000 acres of geographically diverse lands and places at risk. The land trust’s work stretches from the estuaries and forests of Washington’s coastline to the farmlands and river canyons of Yakima, reaching more than 100 counties, cities, and towns. Visit www.Forterra.org.
ABOUT THE CITY OF TUKWILA
Located just south of Seattle, the City of Tukwila is dynamic and unique. It is one of the most diverse communities in the country, with more than 80 languages spoken in its schools. Tukwila is home to the largest retail mall in the Pacific Northwest. While the City has fewer than 20,000 residents, the daytime population includes more than 47,000 who work in Tukwila plus over 150,000 who visit the city on a daily basis. The City has 325 full-time employees, 90 temporary extra labor, and nine labor unions. Tukwila is a full-service city, with its own Police and Public Works departments.
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