ESC offers various stewardship events throughout the year to promote connection with our shared waterways and help to create healthier habitats for all.
Summer 2024 Events
Yoga at Seahurst Park
August 4: 10:00-11:00 AM
ESC and Sugarcane Yoga present Yoga at Seahurst. This is an all levels, slow flow class suitable for beginners. Meagan Lass will guide you through class while you take in the beautiful surroundings of Seahurst park. Enjoy mindful movement linked to breath with the ocean and trees as your view.
Class is 60 minutes and for ages 13+. Please come a few minutes early to sign your yoga waiver. Bring a mat or beach towel and anything else to be comfortable outside
REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Bat Community Science Night
August 14: 7:45-9:30 PM
Join the Environmental Science Center and the Woodland Park Zoo at Seahurst Beach Park in Burien on August 14th at 7:45 PM to learn about our local bats and the amazing adaptations that make them so important to our environment. Bats are a common across Washington state, including urban areas, but their nocturnal habits mean that people often don’t notice them. Taking the time to learn how to observe bats can change that! We will start with a short presentation about bats, introduce the procedures for collecting data, and go out and look for bats together!
We are empowering YOU to become a community scientist while learning more about local bat species and bat conservation issues. The BAT program involves going out to observe bats, right in your own neighborhood. The goal of the BAT program is to collect data on bat sightings across Washington.
This program is best for ages 8+ and will be held mostly outside in the park at dusk.
REGISTRATION REQUIRED.
Seahurst Bioblitz-2024
June 8: 11:30 AM-1:30 PM
Join ESC and the City of Burien at Seahurst Park for the first ever bioblitz event! Help us document which species of plants and animals are present at the park during one snap-shot in time. This event will help us better understand what animals to expect in this habitat and track changes over time. Anyone can participate and become a community scientist!
Take a walk anywhere in the park during regular open hours, take photos of the plants and animals you see, and upload them to the iNaturalist app or website under the ESC Seahurst Bioblitz 2024 project. Stop by during the hours of 11:30-1:30 to get help from ESC staff identifying organisms, learn about the low tide creatures, and find resources to help you become a community scientist. We’ll be at the front of the park and on the beach during low tide; just look for the brown vests.
You do not have to know how to identify any organisms to participate! By uploading photos to iNaturalist, you allow other community members and scientists to identify organisms for you. It is a lot of work for one scientist to cover an entire park to document as many organisms as they can. But by utilizing community science, you all can help inform and increase our understanding of this local habitat.
Have questions? Reach out to our Community Engagement Manager for details and assistance at katy@environmentalsciencecenter.org
How to participate:
- Create an iNaturalist account
- Join the “ESC Seahurst Bioblitz 2024” project
- Visit Seahurst Park on June 8th to look for plants and animals
- Take photos of all organisms you see
- Upload your photos to iNaturalist from your phone or computer
Look for plants and animals in the park
Take photos on your phone or camera
Upload your photos to iNaturalist
Helpful Resources:
A guide for getting started with iNaturalist is available at https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/getting+started
Helpful iNaturalist video tutorials are available at https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/video+tutorials
Fall 2024 Events
International Coastal Cleanup
September 21, 2024: 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Join ESC, at Seahurst Park, as we participate in the largest, global ocean cleanup event of the year! Started by the Ocean Conservancy, volunteers and organizations around the world come together to remove debris from our beaches and waterways. Use our cleanup supplies or bring your own gloves and buckets and add some funky finds to the Salmon Trash Sculpture. Groups will venture along the walking paths, beach front, and hiking trails of Seahurst to remove trash.
All ages are welcome! All children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Programs will be held outside, partially on the beach. Dress for the weather and be prepared to get wet. Learn more about this event and how to use the Clean Swell App here.
Registration preferred
Spring 2023 Events
Hilltop Park Restoration- Earth Day Celebration!
Come celebrate Earth Day with some work outdoors at Hilltop Park in Burien! This event is led by youth interns from Innovation High School along with DirtCorps and Green Burien Partnership. We will be doing restoration work, enjoying food together, and more. We will have tools, materials, and food for all!
This event is open to all ages, but youth under the age of 14 need an adult present. Program will be held outside, dress for the weather. Borrow our tools or bring your own garden gloves to participate!
REGISTRATION REQUIRED
In partnership with the City of Burien, Green Burien Partnership, Innovation Heights Academy, Dirt Corps, and many more!