METRO PARKS TODAY
March 2017
News & Notes
Tacoma Rocks!
Tacoma Rocks! is a Facebook group – with an accurate name, yes? – for people who paint “rocks, shells
and earthly things to hide around Tacoma to brighten people’s day.” It’s something of a local movement.
When The News Tribune wrote about the group in November, there were about 2,000 Facebook
members. In February, the number was up to 6,500. Today there are nearly 9,000.
The idea is a lot like Monkeyshines, but year-round. The decorated rocks turn up in parks, along the
shore and in other places throughout Tacoma, just waiting to be found.
So naturally, government stands ready to throw cold water on a cool movement like this, right?
Heck, no.
A Tacoma Rocker contacted us last month to ask about the official Metro Parks Tacoma position on
leaving the painted rocks in parks managed by the district. I checked with Marina Becker, Metro Parks’
director of parks and natural resources, and here’s the short version of Metro Parks’ position: We’re
happy to see people finding new ways to use their parks and just ask people to use common sense.
Common sense includes making sure the placement is safe and won’t be a danger to people, pets,
facilities or equipment (such as lawnmowers – rocks can be especially dangerous when hit by fastmoving blades).
That’s pretty much it. Common sense covers a lot of ground.
In my two years with Metro Parks, we’ve had questions about Pokémon Go, geocaching and similar
activities. Most of the time, parks managers have two things to say: 1. It’s terrific to see parks getting used
in ways the district’s founders in 1907 couldn’t have foreseen. 2. Please use common sense. If down the
road painted rocks start filling up and detracting from natural areas, or are left where they shouldn’t be
left, or start posing a danger, or someone plans a massive event that requires a special use permit, then
we’ll talk about it down the road. But for now? Paint away.
Tacoma Rocks people, by the way, talked about do’s and don’ts early on. A pinned post in the group by
Brooke Speiser that begins “Rules…Rules…Rules….” includes tips: Don’t hide them inside stores without
permission. Don’t leave them in produce bins. Don’t cuss.
Incidentally, Tacoma Rocks is a fun preschool activity at Tacoma Nature Center, which is managed by
Michele Cardinaux of Metro Parks. And there are more than a few Metro Parks employees active on the
Tacoma Rocks Facebook page. #TacomaRocks.
Advisory council volunteers needed
Volunteering with Metro Parks might bring to mind beach cleanups, Fort Nisqually interpretation and park
stewardship, but … well, actually those are GREAT ways to help take care of your district. Service on an
advisory council is a way to put your professional expertise about education, fitness, arts and business to
work for the benefit of your community. The councils meet regularly with Park Board and staff liaisons to
review and discuss all manner of operations, district policies and programming and to make
recommendations. There are four:
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Active Lifestyles & Community Wellness:
Adult sports and fitness, swimming and aquatic programs, youth programming, specialized
recreation and other programs, facilities and services. (At least two open seats)
Business & Responsive Agency:
Business planning, financial sustainability, revenue development and quality assurance activities.
(Five open seats)
Arts & Heritage:
Historic preservation, special events and arts programming. (Two open seats)
Nature & Environment:
Environmental education, marine and shoreline issues, open space, garden management – and
parks. (One open seat)
To apply, fill out an application or call (253) 305-1065 with questions.
Exciting times for Metro Parks Tacoma; Park Board Notes March 2017
Looking Back
These are very busy times for Metro Parks Tacoma. Over the past year, several big projects broke
ground at Point Defiance Park, including the park on the peninsula, the Pacific Seas Aquarium, and the
Environmental Learning Center, a Tacoma Public Schools-led project that will provide educational
enrichment opportunities for the Science and Math Institute as well as Zoo visitors and staff.
In September, we celebrated the grand opening of the People’s Community Center pool on Hilltop and,
since then, we’ve seen many community members jump right into the pool! We're working with Tacoma
Public Schools to offer swim lessons to elementary and middle school students there.
Perhaps most notable in 2016 was movement on the long-awaited prospect of the Eastside Community
Center, in no small part through the longstanding dedication of Shalisa Hayes, a local mother who took
action on the dream of her late son to create a safe place for kids and families to learn and play. The
center was then made possible through many gracious donations and a dynamic partnership between
Metro Parks Tacoma, the City of Tacoma, Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound, and Tacoma
Housing Authority. As an Eastside Boys & Girls Club alum, I can attest to the necessity of community
centers. The B&G Club provided me safe haven from the boredom and dangers of playing in the streets
and taught me teamwork and sportsmanship, which helped establish my self-worth.
This year, Metro Parks received another $25,000 in funding from the Pierce County Council to keep
expanding our Specialized Recreation programs for people with intellectual disabilities. These are some
of our most precious and vulnerable citizens. It was a treat for me to attend last year's Cinderella Ball, a
partnership with the Tacoma Yacht Club that provided magical memories for our Specialized Recreation
participants. There were dozens of participants who received awards and were among many supporters
and even more friends.
What’s Ahead
Keep an eye out for Pierce Transit's new Downtown to Defiance trolley this summer.
We’re excited to be one of several community partners supporting the trolley and we
hope you will take advantage of this fun way to visit downtown, the waterfront and
Point Defiance. The trolley will operate Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from June 2
through Sept. 3. Stay tuned for more details from Pierce Transit.
Jessie K. Baines Jr. was elected to the Metro Parks Tacoma Board of Commissioners
in 2015.
Metro Parks plans treatment to curb algae blooms at Wapato Lake
Improved water quality to make lake safe for pets, fishing and boating
Metro Parks Tacoma plans to treat Wapato Lake later this spring to reduce public exposure to toxic algae.
The blue-green algae blooms can be harmful to people and pets, which has prompted frequent health
warnings when weather is warmer.
The public is invited to learn details and ask questions at a meeting at 6 p.m. March 30 in the Wapato
Park Pavilion, 6500 S. Sheridan Ave.
Over the past several years, frequent blooms of blue-green algae in Wapato Lake have produced
potentially harmful toxins. Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, which tracks water quality, has
issued intermittent health advisories to warn people and pets to avoid areas of the lake that may have
algae.
Metro Parks will set the exact treatment date in April. After treatment, the 34-acre lake will be closed to
the public for one or two days to ensure safety. The plan is to limit problem-causing algae by locking up
the polluting nutrient that stimulates its growth. The culprit is phosphorus, a fertilizer that seeps into the
lake with runoff from the surrounding landscape. There is also a high legacy phosphorous content in the
sediment at the lake bottom.
Keeping Wapato Lake’s water clean has been a challenge throughout the park’s history because the lake
is a giant detention basin that fills with such runoff. The Wapato Lake management plan recommends
periodic water treatments in addition to utilizing best landscape management practices and working with
the surrounding community to improve the quality of stormwater discharged into the lake.
“Our goal is simple. We want to give visitors to Wapato Lake the confidence that the water safe for people
to fish, use non-motorized boats, paddle boards and for kids to dip their toes in,” said Marina Becker, the
district’s director of parks and natural resources.
At the meeting, members of Metro Parks staff, along with scientific and technical consultants, will explain
the process, its value and progress on long-term efforts to minimize pollutants in lake water.
Metro Parks plans to hire a contractor to disburse alum, or aluminum sulfate, in the water. The alum binds
with phosphorus in water and sediment, forming a cap of aluminum phosphate on the lakebed. One
application of the treatment is expected to be effective for about five years.
A previous alum treatment – in 2008 – was done incorrectly and killed many fish. To help ensure success
this time, Metro Parks has hired Herrera Environmental Consultants, experts with a track record of
successful treatment of other algae-plagued Western Washington lakes, including Green Lake in Seattle.
Herrera will coordinate oversight with experts from the University of Washington Tacoma, who are also
engaged in Metro Parks Tacoma’s long-term plan to improve the quality of Wapato Lake water.
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While the treatment takes place, parking at Wapato Park will be limited to the South 72 Street lot. The
Wapato Park dog park will temporarily close. Other off-leash dog parks are located in Point Defiance Park
and Rogers Park.
Meanwhile, Metro Parks is advancing other improvements to Wapato Park, including the replacement of
two docks and the addition of a fish cleaning station, new pathways and new benches. The $1.2 million
project is funded by the district’s 2014 capital improvement bond measure and a $450,000 grant from the
state’s Recreation and Conservation Office and should be finished in 2018.
Learn more about Wapato Park and its water.
Metro Parks Tacoma supports reintroducing grizzlies to North Cascades
Park Board endorses plan to restore population of iconic bears in one of their native Northwest ranges
Grizzly bears, iconic Northwest animals that play a key role in the ecosystem, are in urgent need of
conservation action and should be reintroduced to remote areas of the North Cascades, the Metro Parks
Tacoma Board of Commissioners said at their February 27 meeting.
The board unanimously approved a resolution in favor of a draft Environmental Impact Statement
proposal to incrementally increase the number of grizzlies, also known as brown bears, in a 9,500-mile
swath of the North Cascades over the next five to 10 years. Fewer than 10 bears remain in the region.
“Metro Parks is committed to environmental stewardship and conservation,” Board of Commissioners
President Andrea Smith said. “We support restoring this important species to one of its native ranges in
Washington state.”
The vote on the resolution was 4-0, with one member absent from the meeting.
Metro Parks Tacoma owns and operates Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and Point Defiance Zoo &
Aquarium, both of which are dedicated to the conservation of wildlife. Both zoos also are members of
Friends of the North Cascades Grizzly Bear, which advocates for and conducts research regarding the
bears.
The proposal endorsed by the Board of Commissioners is one of four options in a draft of the North
Cascades Ecosystem Grizzly Bear Restoration Plan/Environmental Impact Statement. The National Park
Service and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service are carefully weighing the alternatives on the future of the
bears.
The option favored by the park board is known as Alternative C, under which wildlife scientists would
slowly release grizzly bears into remote areas of North Cascades National Park with an initial goal of 25
bears over the five-to-10-year period.
The federal agencies are taking public comment on the draft environmental impact statement through
April 28. Information on the proposal is available here: www.nwtrek.org/grizzlybears.
The board’s resolution will be submitted as part of that public comment period. Input from government
agencies and community members is considered an important factor in influencing the decision-making
process of federal officials as to which option they choose.
The endorsement by Metro Parks Tacoma dovetails with both the mission of the park district and the
wildlife park it owns and operates.
“Grizzly bears are crucial to maintaining plant and animal diversity in Cascade forests,” Northwest Trek
Wildlife Park Zoological Curator Marc Heinzman said. “We are pleased that we can help educate our
community about the many very good reasons for gradually re-introducing them to remote areas of our
region.”
Northwest Trek has demonstrated its commitment to grizzly bear conservation and education for nearly a
quarter century. The wildlife park’s popular bear exhibit opened in 1993.
Heinzman, who is on the Friends of North Cascades Grizzly Bears steering committee, said he believes
Alternative C is the most effective option in the draft EIS.
“It’s the best choice for accomplishing the goal of restoring a viable population of grizzlies to the North
Cascades in a responsible way,” he said.
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An estimated 50,000 grizzly bears roamed North America in the 19 century. But over time, the
population declined dramatically, and in 1975, the grizzly bear was listed as a threatened species under
the Endangered Species Act. It is estimated that fewer than 10 bears remain in the 9,800-square mile
North Cascades recovery zone, one of six in the West identified by the National Park Service, the U.S.
Fish & Wildlife Service and other federal agencies.
With such a small number of animals in such a large area, it is nearly impossible for the bears to find each
other and breed. Grizzly bears play an important role in healthy ecosystems, spreading seeds from plants
on which they feed and distributing marine and aquatic nutrients from fish. Their prolific digging also helps
aerate soils at high elevations.
Ultimately, a diverse ecosystem benefits humans and other species.
“Grizzly bears are one of the great engineers of the natural world, working every day to help the
environment flourish,” Heinzman said. “Northwest Trek and Metro Parks are all about the conservation of
the natural world. That’s why we support this resolution.”
Horticulturist is rooted in the gardens at Point Defiance Park
Steve Herbig’s first job out of college was for an outfit that prided itself on the degreed professionals who
oversaw its work in residential, commercial and institutional landscaping.
Herbig liked leading crews as they put in new landscapes and renovated others. But when his paychecks
began bouncing, he decided he needed more secure employment. So he took the bachelor’s degree in
ornamental horticulture he’d earned from Washington State University in 1986 and applied for work as a
Metro Parks laborer.
That was almost 30 years ago; he’s been with Metro Parks ever since. Now one of several maintenance
technicians who care for Point Defiance Park and sites along Ruston Way, Herbig was asked whether
he’s found his dream job. He smiled, turned his head away and answered: “I think I’ve set a few roots in.”
In truth, there’s nothing 53-year-old Herbig likes better than working with plants. A gardening expert, he
has earned the title of Certified Professional Horticulturist from the Washington State Nursery &
Landscape Association. Metro Parks insiders think of him as their own neighborhood plant doctor, or a
quiet, unassuming Ciscoe Morris – the enthusiasm without the fanfare.
“He’s passionate about horticulture in general and loves to share it with people,” said Tom Balaban, who
leads regional park maintenance and has known Herbig since he was hired.
One of the first projects Herbig worked on was the renovation of the Point Defiance Park rose garden,
which had lost its accreditation as an All-American Rose Selection Display Garden, showing the latest
varieties approved by rose professionals nationwide. At the time, the garden was in disarray. Members of
the Tacoma Rose Society, a dedicated volunteer corps, were heartened when they learned Metro Parks
had hired a university-trained horticulturist to help restore it.
Jo Martin, who has been active in the rose society for 50 years, met Herbig at that time. Since then, their
friendship has grown. “He’s a real Boy Scout: friendly, helpful, dependable, kind. He really works well with
people,” she said. “Metro Parks is really lucky to have him.”
It took a couple of years, but in 1990 the garden’s accreditation was reinstated and Metro Parks and the
rose society staged a huge celebration. The nationwide rose display garden program no longer exists, but
the Point Defiance rose garden, together with the park’s seven other botanical gardens, remains a giant
magnet for park visitors.
This winter, Herbig, colleagues Ross Wilton and Tammy Schmidt, and rose society volunteers worked on
the third of four parts of an 8-year rose garden restoration project, scheduled for completion in 2019.
When finished, all 1,500 plants will be rooted in fresh beds and served by a more efficient system of
irrigation.
Herbig was assigned as liaison to the rose garden volunteers soon after he was hired. Since then, the iris
and fuchsia gardens were added to the displays in the park’s bowl area. At one time or another, Herbig
has worked with each of the different garden volunteer groups. “They rely on him,” Balaban said. “He
takes care of them and knows the importance of volunteers to the park.” Metro Parks staff is limited: “We
can’t do it all ourselves.”
Herbig would love to see more volunteers turn out with one or the other of the park’s volunteer gardening
groups. It’s a great way to learn about plants, whether it’s roses, dahlias, irises or others on display.
“None of us is getting any younger,” he said. “One of the ways we can revive interest in horticulture is to
get young people hooked.”
Herbig’s own fascination with plants emerged when he was a child. His mother asked him whether he
wanted to help her transplant some houseplants. He doesn’t recall exactly what they were, but he credits
his mom for helping him discover his passion. “I’ve got dirt in my veins,” he said. “I just like growing
things: put something in the ground, get it to come up and off it goes.”
He recalled that at Olympia High School, his horticulture teacher got so sick of Herbig asking for the key
to the greenhouse that the teacher gave him one. Herbig soon made the place his own: experimenting
propagating plants and mixing garden soils. Inside, he lost track of time. One weekend day, he went in at
9 or 10 a.m. and became so engrossed in straightening the place up that it was 8 p.m. by the time he
paused and realized he needed to head home. He still remembers his teacher’s shock the next school
day after he looked inside the transformed greenhouse.
His reputation as a plant nerd got started about then and followed him to college. At one point, a fellow in
his dormitory asked him to come and look at what was happening to a potted plant. When he showed it to
Herbig, he saw mushrooms growing out of it. “You’ve been pouring beer in it haven’t you?” Herbig
recalled asking the guy, who was almost too sheepish to reply. “Stop pouring beer in it.”
When Herbig isn’t working, he’s busy on the three acres surrounding his Thurston County home: “Slowly
converting it from brush to jungle,” he said. He uses the spot to experiment, enjoying the challenge of
growing different kinds of plants and resurrecting ones found ailing. “If you don’t grow, you’re gonna go. I
threaten them with a shovel,” he joked.
Garden can be relaxing, he said. “Plants don’t talk; they won’t tell your secrets.” At the same time,
maintaining a landscape means there’s no end to the job. “A garden is never finished. It’s always
changing. It’s a living being,” he said. “If you give it the care and attention it needs, you’d be surprised
what it’ll give back to you.”
Learn how to volunteer in the gardens of Point Defiance Park.
Spend a Spring Break “staycation” with conservation superstars at Point
Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
Spring Break will be here soon, and now’s a great time to make plans for time with the kids.
There’s no better place around Puget Sound for a “staycation” than Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium,
where families can spend time close to home and get in a bit of “globetrotting” at the same time.
During Spring Break Superstars April 3-7, there’s a whole world of animals to see, and a different
“conservation superstar” animal will be highlighted each day.
Visitors can participate in hands-on activities while learning about actions they can take to conserve
resources and help endangered animals in the wild. Meanwhile, animals will receive special enrichment
treats.
Enrichments such as special food items are designed to stimulate the animals both mentally and
physically as they figure out how to get to the treats and then expend some energy doing so.
Here’s the schedule of featured animals:
Monday, April 3
Red wolves: These animals are native to the Southeastern United States, and Point Defiance Zoo &
Aquarium has been instrumental in saving the species from extinction.
Tuesday, April 4
Sharks: Visitors can check out the South Pacific Aquarium, home to over a dozen sharks of five different
species. Sharks swim all the world’s oceans, but are increasingly threatened by finning and overfishing.
In addition to the massive sharks that circle gracefully in the main shark exhibit, two smaller shark species
live with their cartilaginous cousins at Stingray Cove, where visitors can gently touch them.
Wednesday, April 5
Elephants: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is home to two Asian elephants, Hanako and Suki.
Thursday, April 6
Polar Bears: These massive mammals are native to the coastal regions, islands and seas of the Arctic.
Two polar bears, Boris and Blizzard, live at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium as ambassadors for their wild
counterparts.
Friday, April 7
Tigers: Sumatran tigers, native to the Indonesian island of Sumatra, are critically endangered due to
poaching, habitat loss, and human-tiger conflict. Tiger Conservation Campaign donations collected
through The Zoo Society’s Dr. Holly Reed Wildlife Conservation Fund support anti-poaching patrols and
community education efforts in Sumatra.
For more information, visit www.pdza.org.
Spring Break means playtime at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park during ‘Wild Week
of Play,’ April 1-9
Spring Break, which is April 1-9 for many school districts this year, is a perfect time to get a breath of
fresh air and play among the trees at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park.
Parents can officially say farewell to winter and let their kids run wild at Kids’ Trek, the nature-inspired
play area designed for toddlers to tweens.
At Kids’ Trek, children construct forts, play in tot-sized log cabins, and scramble up and down ladder nets.
Northwest-themed features like native plants, a replica beaver lodge, and statues of river otters and
cougars make Kids’ Trek a unique place to discover and play.
Every visit to Northwest Trek also includes a narrated Discovery Tram Tour through a 435-acre FreeRoaming Area. The forests and rolling meadows are home to moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats,
bison, deer and other animals.
Plus, there are bobcats, foxes, owls, river otters, beavers and many other animals to see on a self-guided
walking tour along paved trails. Playful gray wolves can be seen face-to-face from a kid-sized crawlspace
in the Baker Research Cabin.
Visitors can see smaller animals up close during Trailside Encounters, scheduled for 11:30 a.m. and 1:30
p.m. each day during Wild Week of Play.
Kids’ Trek, Discovery Tram Tours, and Trailside Encounters are free with admission or membership.
Discounted admission is available for senior citizens, Pierce County residents, and members of the
military.
Starting March 18, the wildlife park is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday
and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Wild Week of Play is presented by Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital.
For more information, visit www.nwtrek.org.
Public Meetings
Board of Park Commissioners Meeting
Monday, Mar. 27; 6:00 pm
Monday, Apr. 10 & 24; 6:00 pm
Metro Parks Tacoma Headquarters, 4702 S 19th St.
A five-member Board of Park Commissioners governs Metro Parks Tacoma and is the policy
determining body for the park district. Board meetings are normally held on the 2nd and 4th
Mondays of each month.
Capital Improvement Committee
Wednesday, Mar. 29; 5:00 pm
Wednesday, Apr. 12 & 26; 5:00 pm
Metro Parks Tacoma Headquarters, 4702 S 19th St.
This committee meets to review, influence, facilitate and monitor the capital improvement
program, including bond projects, for the district.
Committee of the Whole
Monday, Mar. 20; 5:30 pm
Monday, Apr. 17; 5:30 pm
Metro Parks Tacoma Headquarters, 4702 S 19th St.
Meetings are normally held on the 3rd and 5th (if there is one) Mondays of each month. In
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November the meetings are scheduled for the 1 and 3 Mondays. All five Board members are
scheduled to attend. The public is welcome to attend, however there is no public comment.
Wapato Lake Public Meeting
Thursday, Mar. 30; 6:00 pm
Wapato Park Pavilion, 6500 S. Sheridan Ave.
Discuss an upcoming treatment to protect and improve Wapato Lake’s water quality.
Upcoming Events
Saturday, March 18
Relax and Renew
Point Defiance Beach Cleanup
Oak Tree Park Volunteer Work Party
Going Green
Sunday, March 19
Swan Creek Park Food Forest Volunteer Work Party
Monday, March 20
Park Watch Monthly Meeting
Saturday, March 25
Swan Creek Mud Run
Plant Sale to Benefit Rose Garden
Coffee with the Birds
Charlotte's Blueberry Park Volunteer Work Party
Tacoma Giants: Part 1 Trees of Point Defiance Park
South Sound Summer Camp Fair
Tacoma Giants: Part 2 Immersion Tree Walk
So I Have This Orchid... tips and tricks to help your orchids thrive.
Sunday, March 26
Herb Garden Work Party
Thursday, March 30
Wapato Lake Public Meeting
Saturday, April 1
Ryan's Park Volunteer Work Party
China Lake Volunteer Work Party
Family Nature Walk-Swan Creek Park
Monday, April 3
Spring Break Superstars at the Zoo
Tuesday, April 4
Spring Break Superstars at the Zoo
Wednesday, April 5
Spring Break Superstars at the Zoo
Cleveland Scoring Clinic
Thursday, April 6
Spring Break Superstars at the Zoo
Friday, April 7
Spring Break Superstars at the Zoo
Saturday, April 8
Franklin Park Volunteer Work Party
Wapato Hills Volunteer Work Party
Family Nature Walk-Wapato Park
Ranger-Led Nature Walks
Sunday, April 9
Second Sunday Music Series
Tuesday, April 11
Opening Day 5k
Wednesday, April 12
Story Hour
Friday, April 14
STAR Center Indoor Movie Series
Family Movie Night
Saturday, April 15
April Pool's Day
Point Defiance Beach Cleanup
Coffee with the Birds
Oak Tree Park Volunteer Work Party
Family Nature Walk-Oak Tree Park
Sewing to Sowing
Sunday, April 16
Forest Mindfulness
Swan Creek Park Food Forest Volunteer Work Party
Saturday, April 22
Washed Ashore Grand Opening
Parks Appreciation Day
Wapato Lake Volunteer Work Party
Charlotte's Blueberry Park Volunteer Work Party
Earth Day Celebration
Earth Day Extravaganza
Wilson Golf Demo Day
Sunday, April 23
Washed Ashore Grand Opening
Saturday, April 29
Tacoma Giants: Part 1 Trees of Point Defiance Park
Design Matters! A special workshop featuring Sue Goetz, Chris Scheer & Cameron McGinnis
Tacoma Giants: Part 2 Immersion Tree Walk
Tiptoe through the Tidepools
Family Nature Walk-Tacoma Nature Center
Metro Parks Tacoma strives to create an atmosphere of accessibility in our diverse community. If you
have comments and suggestions to help us meet your expectations, please call Matthew Keogh:
(253) 305-1019 or email [email protected].