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2013 Spring | Natural Science & Restoration

Saving the World One Park at a Time

Student(s):

Hilary Loya

Program or Department(s):

  • Program on the Environment
  • University of Washington

Site supervisor(s):

Sharon Baker, Lisa McGinty

Partner(s):

  • Friends of Lincoln Park

Faculty advisor(s):

Gordon Bradley, Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington

For my project, I worked at Lincoln Park in West Seattle with another student, doing a hands-on restoration of a plot in the urban forest. We spent three months removing invasive species, and replanting native species. I paired this with a literature review of ecosystem restoration practices with a focus on resilience and removal of invasive species. I read over 50 peer-reviewed journal articles, and summarized the main conclusions of each article, then separated them into broad categories. I combined my research and experience in the park to make conclusions about the benefits of restoration on a global and local scale, and the factors that make an effective restoration.