Project Overview
The City of Burien Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services (PaRCS) Department, as part of the Green Burien Partnership, worked with the community to remove blackberry, establish native plantings, conduct ongoing park improvements, and develop future park plans at Hilltop Park. This 7.4-acre undeveloped park is the only park in the northeast corner of Burien. EarthCorps, Partner in Employment, and King Conservation District were some of the partners in this project. Funds for this project were provided by the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program, administered through the State of Washington Department of Natural Resources Urban and Community Forestry Program.
Project Timeline
Summer 2021
- Youth interns and EarthCorps crews began work in Hilltop Park. Work included removal of 60,000 square feet of blackberry.
- PaRCS began community engagement to Hilltop Park neighbors.
Fall 2021
- EarthCorps worked with PIE Youth Interns to plant 270 trees in the space where blackberry was removed.
- We celebrated removal of blackberry at Green Burien Day!
- Youth from the Hilltop neighborhood took part in an afterschool program with an environmental justice focus.
Spring 2022
- Youth from the Hilltop neighborhood took part in an after-school program with an environmental justice focus.
- We celebrated the end of the program with an Earth Day celebration.
Project Goals
- Weed Removal: Partner with EarthCorps to remove 60,000 square feet of blackberry funded through a current South King County Fund Grant.
- Community Engagement: Engage the Hilltop neighborhood through conversations and Green Burien Day restoration event in order to receive park master plan guidance.
- Collaborate: Partner with Partner in Employment to recruit paid Park Stewards.
- Develop a stewardship plan for the park: As part of the Park Steward’s work plan and skills development, a stewardship plan will be developed for Hilltop Park.
- Engage students in urban forest management: Provide enrichment and workforce training to Hilltop neighborhood middle school and high school students through an incentivized afterschool program in partnership with King Conservation District.
- Partner with EarthCorps to install approximately 270 native trees using young adult crews, youth afterschool program participants, and community volunteers.
- Ongoing engagement: Continued work with the Hilltop Park neighborhood to recruit Park Stewards and continue to identify funding sources for park improvement projects.
Project Documents