Magnolia Woods Undergoes Restoration.

A long-neglected wooded area along Magnolia’s southern waterfront is being restored to health under the leadership of forest steward Walter Hughson who is working as a volunteer under Seattle Parks’ Green Seattle program. The area, officially called Magnolia Park southeast, has had a social trail running through it for decades. Last year, volunteers from We Heart Seattle removed tons of garbage including propane tanks, gasoline containers, plastic and old televisions. The organization also planted native Oregon grape plants at two encampment sites to discourage new encampments from springing up.

Hughson’s restoration project involves removing invasive ivy and other plants that are strangling trees in the area, and planting new native trees. Hughson, who previously led the effort to restore wooded areas along Thorndyke, says Seattle Parks has already mowed down large stretches of blackberry canes on the site. Over the summer, Parks will seek to eradicate knot weed, an invasive plant that has a tendency to form dense thickets that block sunlight and crowd out native plants.

Hughson has held five work parties at the site so far this year clearing ivy, holly, hawthorn and other invasive plants. He says that work parties will be scheduled throughout the summer to dig out the root balls of blackberries to keep the plants under control. Those efforts are to prepare the area’s forest floor for 400 new native plants supplied by Seattle Parks. Hughson will lead the effort to plant those natives in late November or early December.