Celebrate trees and their many contributions to our community by giving them a helping hand at Bellevue Arbor Day on October 17th! We'll be planting a variety of native trees and shrubs at Lewis Creek Park at this family-friendly volunteer project. This event also celebrates Bellevue's annual recognition as a "Tree City USA" community by the Arbor Day Foundation.
Volunteers can sign up as a group or individually. Drop-in and unregistered guests will not be able to participate. Each youth participant 13 and younger must be accompanied by an adult and youth cannot be left unattended with city staff when the project ends. All volunteers must sign (or have signed by their parent or legal guardian) a liability waiver when checking in. High school students age 14+ may attend volunteer projects alone, provided they bring appropriate paperwork (https://bellevuewa.gov/sites/default/files/media/pdf_document/2022/Child-Self-Release-Authorization-Liability-Waivers.pdf) signed by a parent or legal guardian AND have registered.
The City of Bellevue will supply all tools, materials, and equipment unless otherwise noted. On the day of the project, please bring:
Sturdy closed-toed footwear: Clean thoroughly to avoid spreading weed seeds into our natural areas. Common problem areas include dried mud in the tread, and seeds trapped in the tongue/laces. Disinfect the soles with 70% isopropyl alcohol or a 10% bleach solution before and after traveling out of the region or internationally.
Gardening gloves: It’s important that seeds and microbes aren’t accidentally introduced into the park. At home, brush off all dirt and debris from your gloves, then wash your hands with dish soap while wearing the gloves. Rinse thoroughly, then allow them to air-dry completely before the project.
Comfortable clothing, including work pants: Please don’t wear yoga pants, leggings, joggers, or athletic tights, as they won’t provide adequate protection for most projects.
Rain gear, depending on the weather forecast.
Water and snacks
Registration will close one day before the project. Volunteer projects will be held rain or shine but may be cancelled if extreme weather conditions are in the forecast. Please let us know if your plans change so we can cancel your registration(s) by please emailing us at Parks_Stewardship@BellevueWA.gov. Cancelling your registration will allow another interested volunteer to participate and ensures that we’re able to accomplish our project goals. For volunteer groups, please ensure that your participants have received a copy of the confirmation email so they know what to expect, which items to bring, the project location, etc.