WaSMAR8108_02 Guide to the Department of Transportation Urban Forestry Records Department of Transportation Urban Forestry Records Finding aid prepared by Oscar McNary Seattle Municipal Archives 2022
PO Box 94728 600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 3 Seattle 98124-4728 archives@seattle.gov http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2022-04-22. Description is written in: English, Latin script. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition. Seattle Municipal Archives Department of Transportation Urban Forestry Records Ellis, Liz 8108-02 4.2 cubic feet 11 boxes 1973-2007 1993-2006 Urban forestry and streetside planting records of the Seattle Department of Transportation's City Arborist, concentrated in 1993-2006 English .

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) was formed by combining transportation planning from the former Strategic Planning Office (SPO) with the former Seattle Transportation Department (SeaTran) to bring a more comprehensive approach to transportation service delivery. A major element of SDOT's creation was the establishment of the Policy, Planning, and Major Project's division, which is charged with transportation system planning and providing increased control and influence over major projects under construction in Seattle. SDOT is currently organized into eight divisions. The Director's Office, Human Resources, and Communications constitute the Executive management division. The Capital Projects and Roadway Structures division includes the Transportation Capital Improvement Program and operation and maintenance of the city's bridges and other structures. Street Use & Urban Forestry provides permitting for all work including planting, pruning, and removal of trees. Responsibility for long-range transportation planning, and developing transportation policy for the city of Seattle falls to the Policy & Planning division. Initiation of large projects and program development is lead by the Major Projects division. Financial oversight of the department, information systems and administrative support is directed by the Resource Management division. The Street Maintenance division has responsibility for street resurfacing, cleaning and general maintenance and Traffic Management is responsible for operation of the city's street system, and neighborhood and operational programs. This department has had a long evolution beginning with the Department of Streets and Sewers which was responsible for planning, construction, repair, and cleaning of the City's streets, sidewalks, and sewers. City Council appointed Seattle's first Street Commissioner in 1875. The position came under the jurisdiction of the Board of Public Works in 1890. The position of Superintendent of Streets, Sewers and Parks was established in 1896; authority over parks was removed in 1904. In 1936 the Engineering Department assumed the responsibilities of the Department of Streets and Sewers and the Traffic Department and the Department became the Maintenance Division of the Engineering Department. An ordinance creating a Department of Transportation was passed in July 1971.The legislation provided for the appointment of the Director of Transportation, specified the duties of the Transit Advisory Board, provided for the Seattle Transit Commission, and transferred all remaining operational aspects to the newly organized department. The Seattle Transportation Department was created the traffic and transportation functions of the Engineering in 1997 when Department were consolidated. By June 2002, SDOT and SPO consolidated to form a newly organized department which absorbed responsibilities for maintenance and operation of streets, bridges, retaining walls and seawalls, and traffic control systems in the City. An ordinance passed in 2004 changed the department's name to Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT).

Since time immemorial, Indigenous peoples of the Salish Sea region have stewarded the lands now known as Seattle. When white settlers arrived in 1851, the area was covered in old growth forest. Settlers cut and sold the forest for lumber. By 1890, just a few stands of conifers remained in the present-day city limits. Early attempts to restore Seattle's canopy included a 1903 city approval of the Olmsted Brothers' plan to create a network of parkes and boulevards. In 1930, Seattle hired its first City Arborist. Then, in 1967, the city formally placed the development of street tree programs under the Seattle Engineering Department (SED). From the 1990s through the early 2000s, SED employee Liz Ellis expanded her department's impact on the urban forest. Ellis leveraged limited resources by training volunteers, applying for grants, and building coalitions.

The scope of this series is centered around Liz Ellis's tenure as an arboriculturist and tree stewardship program coordinator, with most records in the years 1993-2006. Ellis was heavily involved in training volunteers, partnering with citizens, and doing education and outreach. During Ellis's employment, the City of Seattle underwent departmental re-organization. Her office began in the Seattle Engineering Department (SED), later re-organized into Seattle Transportation (SeaTran), and finally, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT).

Series includes printed and handwritten records, photographs, and drawings related to the planning and care of Seattle's street trees and street side plantings. Includes volunteer trainings and public-private partnerships created by City of Seattle employee Liz Ellis, mostly from 1993-2006. Includes records from many special projects, including the volunteer training Tree Steward Program (TSP); the public-private partnership TREEmendous Seattle; Springwood Press and Neighbors' Gardening Circular newsletters; the Urban Forestry Coalition (UFC); Seattle Tree Advisory Board (STAB); Urban Forestry Outreach (UFO); Seattle Environmental Education Committee; Sustainable Seattle; Global ReLeaf; Ag in the Classroom; ReLeaf Seattle; Re-Greening Seattle; Trees Across Washington; Heritage Tree Program; Open Space Advocates; Earth Day; Arbor Day; Arbor Month; and the Streetside Garden Contest. Funding for some of these programs came from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods' (DON) Small and Simple Grants; the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (NUCFAC); or the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Includes records of day-to-day operations of the forestry division of the Seattle Department of Transportation, including urban forestry master plans, budgets, sampled work orders, and correspondence.

Records are open to the public.

[Item and date], Department of Transportation Urban Forestry Records, Record Series 8108-02. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

Content is arranged by subject into subseries, and then in chronological order within those subseries.

Subseries 1, Tree Steward Program, 1991-1997

Subseries 2, TREEmendous Seattle, 1991-1997

Subseries 3, Newsletters, 1994-2004

Subseries 4, Urban Forestry Coalition, 1994-2002

Subseries 5, Short-term Special Projects and Partnerships, 1990-2007

Subseries 6, Streetside Garden Contest, 2002-2005

Subseries 7, Traffic Circles, 1981-2005

Subseries 8, Neighborhood Initiatives, 1992-2001

Subseries 9, City Arborist Administrative Records, 1973-2006

For earlier materials on urban forestry in Seattle, consult Seattle Municipal Archives record series 2620-01, Seattle Engineering Department Street Trees and Landscaping Records, 1957-2001.

 Seattle (Wash.). Dept. of Transportation Seattle (Wash.). Engineering Dept. Seattle (Wash.). Dept. of Neighborhoods Landscaping Trees in cities--Washington (State)--Seattle Events--Washington (State)--Seattle Traffic circles--Washington (State)--Seattle Volunteers--Washington (State)--Seattle Urban beautification--Washington (State)--Seattle Environmental education--Washington (State)--Seattle Environmental education--Activity programs--Seattle (Wash.) Citizen Training Program Tree planting--Washington (State)--Seattle Environmental issues--Washington (State)--Seattle Environmental management--Washington (State)--Seattle Environmental policy--Washington (State)--Seattle Streetscapes (Urban design)--Washington (State)--Seattle Urban landscape architecture--Washington (State)--Seattle Tree Steward Program 1991-2000 1 2 Seattle Engineering Department and Washington Department of Natural Resources Grant 1991 1 1 Department of Natural Resources Tree Stewardship Program 1993-1994 1 2 Department of Natural Resources Grant Final Tree Steward 1993 1 3 Department of Natural Resources Contract 1993-1995 1 4 Department of Natural Resources Grant 1994 1 5 Tree Stewardship Program 1994 1 6 Tree Stewardship Training 1 1994 1 7 Tree Steward Training 1994 1 8 Tree Steward 1994-1995 1 9 Tree Steward Program 1994-1996 1 10 Tree Steward Press Releases 1994-1998 1 11 Newsletter Ideas 1995 1 12 Tree Stewards 1995 1 13 Study Questions 1995 1 14 Tree Steward Workshop 1995 1 15 Tree Stewardship Outreach 1995-1997 English. 2 1 Tree Steward Program 1996-1997 2 2 Tree Steward Program (includes photos) 1994-1998 2 3 Correspondence (includes photos) 1995-2000 2 4 Tree Steward Pictures and Drawings undated 2 5 TREEmendous Seattle 1993-1997 TREEmendous Seattle 1993-1994 English. 2 6 TREEmendous Newsletters The Canopy 1994-1995 2 7 TREEmendous 1994-1996 2 8 TREEmendous Budget Report Tax Info 1995 2 9 TREEmendous Seattle 1996-1997 2 10 Newsletters 1994-2004 Springwood Press Newsletter 1994-1998 English. 2 11 Neighbors Gardening Circular 2001-2004 English. 2 12 Urban Forestry Coalition 1994-2001 City Urban Forest Coalition 1994-1995 English. 2 13 National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (NUCFAC) Seattle Tour 1995 English. 2 14 A City Among the Trees 1996 English. 2 15 National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (NUCFAC) Grant 1996 English. 2 16 Urban Forestry Coalition 1995-1997 English. 3 1 Urban Forestry Coalition 1999-2000 English. 3 2 Urban Forestry Coalition 1999-2000 English. 3 3 Urban Forestry Coalition Canopy Goals 2002 English. 3 4 City among the Trees Video 1997 English. 3 5 NUCFAC Grant - A City among the Trees 1996-1998 English. 3 6 City among the Trees Book Reach 1999-2000 English. 3 7 Urban Forest Strategic Plan - City among the Trees 2001 English. 3 8 Short-term Special Projects and Partnerships 1991-2007 Proclamations 1991-1997 English. 3 9 Revision Seattle Tree Advisory Board (STAB) 1991 English. 3 10 Department of Neighborhoods (DON) Grants 1990-1995 English. 3 11 Fall Department of Neighborhoods (DON) Planting 1998 English. 3 12 Department of Neighborhoods (DON) Packet 2002 English. 3 13 Department of Neighborhoods (DON) Grants 1996-2005 English. 3 14 Urban Forestry Outreach 1991-1993 English. 3 15 Seattle Environmental Education Committee (SEEC) 1992-1993 English. 3 16 Seattle Environmental Education Committee (SEEC) 1994 English. 3 17 Sustainable Seattle 1993 English. 4 1 Citizen Training - Global ReLeaf 1993 English. 4 2 Ag in the Classroom 1994 English. 4 3 Bio - Info ReLeaf 1994 English. 4 4 Re-Greening Seattle- Sierra Club - Urban Forestry 1994 English. 4 5 Arbor Day 1994 English. 4 6 Arbor Month 1997-2007 English. 4 7 TILTH 1995 English. 4 8 Art for Outreach 1995 English. 4 9 Drawings Trees Across Washington 1996-1997 English. 4 10 Heritage Tree Program 1992-1997 English. 4 11 Open Space Advocates 1998-1999 English. 4 12 Volunteer Projects - Day of Caring 1999-2001 English. 4 13 Urban Forest Workshop 2000 English. 4 14 Seattle Millennium Project undated English. 4 15 Millennium Woods 2000 English. 4 16 Earth Day 2000 English. 4 17 ITE Paper 2003 English. 4 18 Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Urban and Community Forestry 2004 English. 4 19 Urban and Community Forestry 2004 English. 4 20 Deaf Blind Class 2005 English. 4 21 Multi-Lingual Urban Forestry Training - King County Natural Resource Stewardship Grant 2005 English. 4 22 Seattle Engineering Department (SED) Water FLR - Watering Education undated English. 5 1 Drawings Kids' Drawings undated English. 5 2 Children's Education Photos undated English. 5 3 Field Guide Art Work undated English. 5 4 Streetside Garden Contest 2002-2005 Garden Circle Contest 2002 English. 5 5 Traffic Circle Garden Contest 2002 English. 5 6 Traffic Circle Garden Contest (includes photos) 2003 English. 5 7 Streetside Garden Contest 2003 English. 5 8 Streetside Garden Contest 2004 English. 5 9 Streetside Garden Contest Entries and Nominations (includes photos) 2004 English. 5 10 Traffic Circles 1986-2005 Traffic Circles (includes photos) 1986-1996 English. 5 11 Traffic Circles 1993-2000 English. 5 12 Traffic Circle Media Moments 2000-2002 English. 6 1 Traffic Circles 2001 English. 6 2 Traffic Circles 2002 English. 6 3 Traffic Circle Database 2004 English. 6 4 Traffic Circles 2003-2005 English. 6 5 Neighborhood Initiatives 1992-2005 Neighborhood Plans 1998 6 6 Holly Park SHA undated 6 7 South Park 1993-1994 6 8 ReTree Ballard 1992-1999 6 9 Miller Park Neighborhood 1992 6 10 Rainier Beach (includes photos) 1994 6 11 Green Lake Project 1994 6 12 Leschi - Trees 1996 6 13 Beacon Hill 1997 6 14 Interbay 1997 6 15 Westlake Chestnuts 1997 6 16 Capitol Hill 1999 6 17 Magnolia Neighborhood 2000 6 18 Genesee Business District Rainier 2003 6 19 Greenwood 2005 6 20 Louisa Walkway Eastlake 2006 6 21 Planting West Marginal Way undated 6 22 Next Newsletter undated 6 23 City Arborist Administrative Files 1961-2007 1993-2006 Street Tree Ordinances 1961-1993 English. 7 1 Ordinances and Resolutions 1975-1993 English. 7 2 Native Plants 1975-1993 English. 7 3 Seattle Engineering Department Landscaping Crew (SED L/S Crew) 1976- 1992 English. 7 4 Volunteer Management Risk 1981-1995 English. 7 5 Street Tree Data 1986-1993 English. 7 6 Correspondence 1987 English. 7 7 Street Tree Inventory 1990-1991 English. 7 8 Seattle Community Contacts 1990-1995 English. 7 9 Tree Plantings 1992 English. 7 10 Urban Tree Replacement Program 1993 English. 7 11 Seattle Street Tree Master Plan 1993 English. 7 12 Street Planting Procedures 1990 English. 7 13 Storm ReLeaf 1993 English. 7 14 Tree Plantings 1993 English. 7 15 Urban Tree Replacement 1994 English. 7 16 Seattle Street Tree Master Plan 1994 English. 7 17 Urban Tree Replacement Program 1994 English. 7 18 Events Calendar 1994 English. 7 19 Tree Planting 1994 English. 7 20 Saint Marks Greenbelt 1993-1994 English. 7 21 Powerlines, Wildlife, and Trees 1994 English. 7 22 Arbor Office Ordinance History 1995 English. 7 23 List Work Requests 1995 English. 7 24 Hardscapes - Narrow Planting Strips 1995 English. 7 25 Historic Preservation - Seattle 1995 English. 7 26 Press Releases 1995-2000 English. 7 27 Design Review and Trees 1996 English. 7 28 Trees for Narrow Parking Strip (PS) 1996 English. 7 29 Urban Ecosystem Analysis 1996 English. 8 1 Miscellaneous Planting 1997 English. 8 2 Slope Stabilization 1997 English. 8 3 Pruning, Removal, and Protection 1997 English. 8 4 Canopy Cover 1997 English. 8 5 Tree Planting History 1997-1999 English. 8 6 Plants - Reference and Traffic Circle (TC) Lists 1997-2000 English. 8 7 Tree Grates 1997-2001 English. 8 8 Landscape Services 1998 English. 8 9 Ivy Noxious Weed 1998 English. 8 10 Work Plan 1998 English. 8 11 HortScience 1998 English. 8 12 Roof Gardens TPLA 1998 English. 8 13 Work Accomplishments 1998 English. 8 14 Sidewalks and Trees 1999 English. 8 15 City Green Survey 1999 English. 8 16 Green Streets 1999 English. 8 17 Projects 1999 English. 8 18 Tree Preservation Seattle 1998-2000 English. 8 19 Community Tree Ordinance 2000 English. 8 20 City of Seattle Easement Documents (includes photos) 2000 English. 8 21 Tree Pruning 2000 English. 8 22 Correspondence 2000 English. 8 23 Urban Forestry Info and Articles 2000 English. 8 24 Gravel Mulch Pit 2000 English. 8 25 Projects 2000 English. 8 26 ID Tree Grates 2000 English. 9 1 Tree Pit Soil Stabilization 2000-2004 English. 9 2 Landscape, Horticulture, and Urban Forestry 1999-2002 English. 9 3 Landscape, Horticulture, and Urban Forestry 1999-2002 English. 9 4 Cost Centers Report 2000 English. 9 5 Urban Forestry Management Plan 2000-2004 English. 9 6 Budget 2001 English. 9 7 Tree Protection 2001 English. 9 8 SEA Streets 2001 English. 9 9 Sweetgum Protection Petition 2001 English. 9 10 Permits 2001 English. 9 11 Neighborhood Traffic Services 2001 English. 9 12 Volunteer Projects 2001 English. 9 13 Complaints 2001 English. 9 14 Trees, Carbon, Air Quality Correspondence 2001 English. 9 15 Urban Forest Management 2001-2004 English. 9 16 Gardener Survey (includes photos) 2002 English. 9 17 Work Requests 2002 English. 9 18 Budgeting 2002 English. 9 19 Arborist Presentation 2002 English. 9 20 Budget 2002 English. 9 21 Budget 2002 English. 9 22 Correspondence 2002 English. 9 23 Urban Forest Management Plan 2003 English. 10 1 Budgeting 2003 English. 10 2 June Volunteer Projects 2002-2003 English. 10 3 Landscape Beautification Agreements 2002-2004 English. 10 4 Retreat 2002 English. 10 5 Downtown Planting Info 2003 English. 10 6 Sudden Oak Death 2003 English. 10 7 Volunteer Projects 2003 English. 10 8 Progress Report 2003 English. 10 9 Projects 2003 English. 10 10 Projects 2003 English. 10 11 Urban Forestry Work Plan 2004 English. 10 12 Songbird Habitat 2004 English. 10 13 Tree Salvage 2004 English. 10 14 Fall Plants 2004 English. 10 15 Neighborhood Matching Fund (NMF) Applications 2004 English. 10 16 Environmental Justice 2004 English. 10 17 Volunteer Agreement 2004 English. 10 18 C/W Claims Info 2004 English. 10 19 Projects (includes photos) 2004 English. 10 20 Projects 2004 English. 10 21 Urban Forest Management Plan 2005 English. 10 22 Urban Forest Management Plan 2005 English. 10 23 Urban Forest (UF) Talk Outlines 2005 English. 10 24 Tree Preservation 2005 English. 10 25 Projects 2005 English. 10 26 Projects 2005 English. 11 1 Projects 2005 English. 11 2 Interdependent Tree Care Standards 2005 English. 11 3 Projects 2005-2006 English. 11 4 Expenses 2005 English. 11 5 Budget 2006 English. 11 6 Blackstain on WH Pine 2006 English. 11 7 Projects 2007 English. 11 8