Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors (SHABOG)

The Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors met for their February 2025 regular meeting, focusing primarily on restoration work updates and administrative matters. The meeting featured substantial presentations from community partners actively working in the arboretum, including the Ecological Restoration Club from Western Washington University and input from the Sehome Neighborhood Association. Caleb from the Ecological Restoration Club delivered a comprehensive update on their Jersey Street site restoration work, reporting significant progress with 80 volunteers contributing 160 community service hours, removal of 19 cubic yards of invasive species (primarily cherry laurel and English holly), and 14 cubic yards of garbage removal. The club is preparing for a major planting event with native species sourced from the city. Robin Thomas from the Sehome Neighborhood Association raised questions about fire prevention strategies for the arboretum and requested board input on a neighborhood guide they're preparing. The board confirmed they had discussed fire prevention in the past year with Western's emergency preparedness director. Steve Janiszewski provided updates on trail counter installation at Jersey Street, showing the board how visitor data is being tracked across Bellingham parks system. He also reported on a successful February 15 community work party that involved 58 volunteers and decommissioned 150 feet of unauthorized trail on South Ridge. Administrative discussions included changes to city board reappointment processes, planning for the annual report, and consideration of a potential longhouse community representative position on the board.

No formal votes were taken during this meeting. Key decisions were primarily procedural: - **January minutes approval** - Approved unanimously after brief review - **Meeting process adjustment** - Board agreed that Ecological Restoration Club updates should be scheduled as business items rather than public comment to allow adequate discussion time - **Board book distribution** - Decided to provide missing board books to new members who hadn't received them - **Annual report timeline** - Chair committed to having draft ready for March meeting review **Future scheduling decisions:** - Annual report review and approval scheduled for March meeting - Western website presentation by professional writing students confirmed for March agenda - Longhouse community representative discussion tabled pending facility opening and operational agreements

**Caleb, on restoration progress:** "I believe overall we removed 40 cherry laurel trees and about that same amount of holly. So I'm very, very happy about that. It's great because I use the North Reservoir Trail every single day to walk to campus." **Robin Thomas, on community information needs:** "We haven't been able to print anything in paper for quite a long time, and so we thought we could just take a stab at doing this one guide and try to get that out to folks that live in the neighborhood to just help them orient and know what to do because we get questions a lot." **Chair John, on restoration site significance:** "That particular spot you're working on has been a true hotspot of invasive plants for quite some time." **Tracy, on longhouse timing:** "It might just from a time constraint, it just might be better to wait until fall until kind of there's some organization and we're going to have bumps to work through in terms of opening." **Steve, on city reappointment process:** "The goal is to get more participation and diverse voices onto some of the boards and commissions, and to be more consistent across the board, so every board and commission is kind of doing it consistently."

# Sehome Hill Arboretum Board Charts Path Forward on Restoration and Future Governance ## Meeting Overview The Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors convened for their February 2025 meeting with a mix of virtual and in-person participation, including board members, city staff, university representatives, and engaged community members. The meeting showcased the dynamic partnership between Western Washington University, the City of Bellingham, and volunteer groups in stewarding this beloved public space. Key highlights included an impressive presentation from the university's Ecological Restoration Club documenting their extensive invasive species removal work, updates on trail maintenance projects, and substantive discussions about governance changes affecting board appointments. The session also addressed ongoing coordination challenges around the new Longhouse facility and explored questions about representation and community engagement moving forward. ## Public Comment: Fire Safety and Neighborhood Outreach Robin Thomas from the Sehome Neighborhood Association opened public comment by raising two important community concerns. First, she inquired about the progress on fire prevention strategies for the Arboretum, noting neighborhood interest in this topic. Board Chair John DeWitt confirmed this had been a focus within the past year, including a presentation from Western's emergency preparedness director, likely in spring 2024. He offered to locate the specific meeting minutes to help Thomas share information with neighborhood association members. Second, Thomas announced the association's work on a comprehensive neighborhood guide, targeted at approximately 10 pages covering local resources and information. The guide will include an Arboretum map, trail designations for off-leash areas, and the Fix It website contact information for reporting issues. Thomas indicated the rough draft is underway with hopes for June publication, though it could circulate as a Word document initially for fact-checking. Board members John DeWitt and Joan expressed willingness to review the draft, with DeWitt offering to circulate it among all board members for broader input. ## Ecological Restoration Club's Remarkable Impact Caleb Barville, co-founder of Western's Ecological Restoration Club, delivered an impressive presentation documenting the student organization's substantial contributions to Arboretum stewardship. The club hosts weekly Friday work parties from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., and their winter quarter achievements were striking: six work parties engaging 80 volunteers contributing 160 community service hours. The quantifiable impact was significant. "We've removed about 19 cubic yards" of invasive species, Caleb reported, "heavily of cherry laurel, English holly, English ivy, some blackberry." Additionally, the club removed 14 cubic yards of garbage, including "a couple of bikes and a couple of skateboards, and also just a bunch of waste." One particularly successful work party during snowy conditions engaged 24 volunteers and removed six cubic yards of invasives in a single day. The club's work site centers on the intersection of Jersey Street and Myrtle Street, east of the Jersey Street Trail in a damp valley area. Caleb proudly noted, "Overall we removed 40 cherry laurel trees, and about that same amount of holly." As someone who uses the North Reservoir Trail daily to walk to campus, he added, "It's nice now, not having those non-native plants looming overhead." The presentation also highlighted the club's educational programming, including recent speakers like Marco Hatch discussing indigenous knowledge in ecological restoration related to clam gardens in the Salish Sea, and upcoming presentations by wildland firefighter Amanda Monty, host of the "Life with Fire" podcast. ### Planting Initiative and Trail Restoration Moving beyond removal, the club planned a planting party for the day after the meeting, sourced through the city's generosity. The diverse plant selection, developed in consultation with Abe Lloyd, includes shade-tolerant understory species like Western hemlock and salmonberry for the valley area, plus red flowering currant, crabapple, and cascara for the northern boundary near the street where light conditions are better. Board member Jim raised important questions about social trail issues in the canyon area, where unauthorized trails run parallel to official paths just "20 feet away." Caleb confirmed this was part of their restoration focus, noting the barren social trails "erode really rapidly whenever it rains" and become "short rivers in sections." The planting strategy aims to fill these areas while providing slope stability and wildlife habitat through berry and seed-producing plants. The discussion revealed coordination protocols, with Caleb serving as a city park steward under Ryan Roby's supervision. Western's Oscar has provided valuable support through campus grounds crew assistance and tool sharing. Steve Janiszewski from city parks described their standard approach using brown restoration signs and temporary black mesh fencing to discourage trail use, which board members suggested could help with the social trail problem. Board member John DeWitt suggested adding thorny plants like nookka rose and black hawthorn as "living fences" at social trail entrances, a technique proven successful in decommissioning unauthorized routes. The nursery had black hawthorn available, though specific quantities would depend on the trail width and desired density. Reflecting the meeting's collaborative spirit, board members agreed to move future restoration club updates from public comment to regular business items, ensuring adequate time and priority for these important partnerships. ## January Minutes and Administrative Updates The board quickly approved January meeting minutes without revision, maintaining their efficient administrative processes. Board member Kendra provided updates on the Longhouse project, reporting that the previously proposed name did not receive approval. The facility will likely be called something like "House of the Lummi People," with final details to come to the board once the naming process concludes. Kendra also raised questions about plantings for the stormwater management area around the Longhouse, seeking clarification on timing, sourcing, and height restrictions related to utility infrastructure. Steve Janiszewski offered to coordinate with Public Works to determine the specific height limitations for plantings above the utility vault. The discussion revealed that while the building contractor's landscaping obligations were fulfilled with mulching, additional plantings would require separate coordination between board members, city staff, and the contractor Christopher Mead. ## Parking and Enforcement Challenges John DeWitt reported ongoing problems with cars parking directly at the Arboretum entrance, creating congestion that particularly impacts the construction zone for the House of Healing project. His investigation with Katie Potts, the university's chief of police, confirmed these were primarily campus visitors rather than construction workers, parking along the sidewalk below designated areas. The situation highlighted jurisdictional complexity, with "still debate over exactly who was responsible for policing that area" between Bellingham Police Department and campus safety. However, temporary no-parking signs installed in recent weeks appeared to be making a difference, reducing the congestion that had reached the point where "just about every single space along at the entrance was occupied by cars" on some days. ## Trail Counter Technology and Data Collection Steve Janiszewski delivered a comprehensive presentation on the city's new trail counter system, showcasing the technology's potential for evidence-based park management. The Jersey Street Trail now has an infrared counter attached to the zigzag structure, collecting data since mid-February. The system provides remarkably detailed information, tracking "daily use by day, by hour, by month, and by year." Steve demonstrated the Traffect website interface showing all city trail counters, with pink markers indicating active installations and brown showing inactive ones. The raw data reveals impressive usage numbers across the park system, with Boulevard Park's restroom counter recording half a million annual visits and the Civic Complex area showing even higher traffic. Board member Joan raised an important point about the Jersey Street Trail's character, noting from her nearby residence that "it feels like that trail is really a commuter trail, like people take that to go from the neighborhood to the university." She observed that Arboretum hikers more likely use the secondary trail, raising questions about what the counter data will actually measure. Steve acknowledged this distinction while explaining their rationale: "We figured this one will be used a lot by bicycle commuters and probably students on this lower trail. And it also has some erosion problems. I think that's why we wanted to get some counts on it to see if it's really heavy use, or is it more related to runoff." The trail counters cost approximately $600 each and can be easily relocated to build comparative datasets. Steve suggested the possibility of Western cost-sharing additional counters to expand data collection throughout the Arboretum, providing valuable information for prioritizing trail maintenance and improvements. Board members expressed strong interest in comparative data, both within the Arboretum and between the Arboretum and other city parks. As John DeWitt noted, "That's not information I don't think we've ever had before for the Arboretum, and I think it could be really helpful and valuable as we think about like priorities for trail projects." ## Successful Community Work Party Steve reported on a highly successful February 15th community work party that drew 58 volunteers, coordinated with Western's LEAD program and targeting the South Ridge Trail decommissioning project where Washington Trails Association had rerouted the trail. The quantified accomplishments were substantial: 150 feet of unauthorized trail decommissioned, six cubic yards of invasive species removed, 70 native plants installed, and eight cubic yards of mulch spread. The work party photos showed the comprehensive approach to trail closure, including fencing, brown directional signs, and strategic debris placement. Steve noted, "There's an example of how we block a trail if we really want to keep people out." The before-and-after images dramatically illustrated the transformation, with one board member commenting, "I'm spraining an ankle just looking at it." The project addressed the persistent problem of hikers continuing to use the steeper original trail despite the improved rerouted path. With time for vegetation establishment, the restoration should permanently redirect traffic to the sustainable route designed by professional trail builders. ## Treehouse Removal and Student Creativity Tracy Brewer-Rogstad reported on the treehouse removal process initiated after Wayne's discovery at the previous meeting. While she lacked a detailed update due to scheduling conflicts, she confirmed the structure had been completely removed without subsequent unauthorized activity. The discussion revealed ongoing creativity among students, with Joan reporting a "big net like spanning trees like as big as this table" that she reported through the Fix It system. The report was promptly resolved, illustrating the effectiveness of the established reporting mechanisms. Tracy noted, "I think we have some creative students in those areas," with nets and giant hammocks becoming particularly popular unauthorized installations. ## Land Acknowledgment Revision Process John DeWitt provided an update on the revised land acknowledgment drafted at the previous meeting. He had shared it with Laurel for review and suggestions, though he acknowledged only sending it earlier in the week and emphasized the need to give appropriate review time. He hoped to have revisions and final input ready for the March meeting, allowing the board to potentially adopt the updated acknowledgment at that time. ## Governance Changes and Reappointment Processes The meeting included substantial discussion about changing reappointment processes for city-appointed board members, highlighting the complexity of multi-jurisdictional governance. The city has implemented a new policy requiring actual reapplication rather than automatic reappointment, with positions open to other applicants during the reappointment process. This creates different reappointment processes for different board positions. As John DeWitt explained, "Our current situation really is we now have board members who are subject to different reappointment processes." The question arose whether to align the at-large board member position with the city's new model or maintain separate processes. Kendra, whose position will be the first tested under the new system, noted practical challenges: "When I went online, there's no reapplication process. There's just an application process at least how the website stands right now." She expressed uncertainty about timing and process details, with her May 9th term expiration creating potential quorum challenges if transitions aren't handled smoothly. Steve Janiszewski provided context from the city perspective: "From what my understanding is of this new procedure protocol is coming directly from the mayor, and the goal is to get more get more participation and diverse voices onto some of the boards and commissions, and to be more consistent across the board." He indicated staff would do initial selection with potential board or chair input on final decisions. Tracy Brewer-Rogstad offered the university perspective, noting minimal interest from external candidates in facilities-related positions: "I don't think there's gonna be a ton of people outside facilities jumping at another meeting or board. You know people are pretty swamped as it is." She saw logic in the city's approach while not expecting Western to implement similar processes. Board members generally agreed that identical processes weren't necessary across all positions, given their different selection authorities and candidate pools. Joan suggested advertising could increase interest in at-large positions, while maintaining that specialized technical positions might naturally have limited candidate pools. ## Annual Report Preparation John DeWitt officially announced his responsibility to prepare the annual report for March meeting review and approval, committing to provide adequate review time rather than last-minute distribution. He characterized it as "very much a summary of what we've already been doing all year long," indicating it should be manageable given the board's regular documentation practices. ## Longhouse Community Representation Discussion The meeting touched briefly on the important question of designating a board position for a member from the Longhouse community, though time constraints limited full discussion. John DeWitt indicated this would be a high priority for March, requiring at least one or two meetings for thorough consideration of bylaw changes and implementation details. Joan reminded the board of previous discussions emphasizing the need to wait for Longhouse community leadership to be assembled and to determine their interest before making unilateral decisions about board representation. She noted, "If we just unilaterally say, yeah, one of you is going to be on my board, that just doesn't seem like the right process." The discussion also addressed balance questions, with Joan pointing out that a Longhouse representative would effectively be a Western representative, potentially requiring additional city representation or restructuring existing positions to maintain institutional balance. Tracy Brewer-Rogstad provided valuable timing perspective, noting the current focus on operating agreement negotiations requiring extensive time from Longhouse leadership. She suggested waiting until fall "until kind of there's some organization" and after working through opening-related challenges. "It might just from a time constraint, it just might better to wait until fall...it might be a whole lot of things all at once that we would be asking of longhouse." Tracy emphasized her current engagement with these processes and willingness to bring that perspective to the board "until we can have more of a native representation that I think is also important to have." ## Board Member Orientation Materials The meeting concluded with Joan's discovery that new board members hadn't received comprehensive orientation materials, specifically bound "board books" containing key documents. The discussion revealed inconsistent distribution of these materials, with some members unaware of their existence. Steve Janiszewski offered to work with Kate on providing board books, with options for electronic PDF distribution or traditional hard copies with binders. Joan emphasized the value of physical copies while acknowledging electronic access to individual documents through the website. The board books typically contain master plans, policies, bylaws, and interlocal agreements—essentially the foundational documents new members need for effective participation. Ensuring all members have access to these materials represents an important step in board development and institutional knowledge transfer. ## Looking Ahead As the board adjourned, several significant items await March attention: the annual report review, website presentation from David's student team, potential land acknowledgment adoption, policy document revisions, and continued discussion of Longhouse community representation. The meeting demonstrated the board's commitment to balancing operational efficiency with thorough consideration of complex governance questions, while maintaining strong partnerships with community volunteers making tangible differences in Arboretum stewardship. The February meeting exemplified the collaborative spirit that makes the Arboretum successful—university students removing invasive species, city staff providing technical expertise, neighborhood associations engaging residents, and board members working through the practical challenges of multi-jurisdictional governance. With major projects like the Longhouse nearing completion and restoration work expanding, the board continues evolving to meet both current needs and future opportunities for this cherished community resource.

## MODULE S1: STUDY GUIDE **Meeting ID:** BEL-SHA-2025-02-20 A structured study guide helping readers understand the meeting's content and context. ### Meeting Overview The Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors met on February 20, 2025, to discuss ongoing restoration work, trail maintenance, and administrative matters. The meeting featured presentations from student environmental groups and updates on major work projects throughout the 150-acre forested area. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors (SHABOG):** A joint governing body with representatives from the City of Bellingham, Western Washington University, and at-large community members that oversees the management of the 150-acre forested area on Sehome Hill. **Social Trails:** Unauthorized trails created by people walking off designated paths, often causing erosion and habitat damage. The board is actively working to decommission these trails and redirect users to official pathways. **Invasive Species Removal:** The systematic removal of non-native plants like English ivy, cherry laurel, and English holly that outcompete native vegetation and degrade forest health. **Park Steward:** A volunteer position with the City of Bellingham where individuals are authorized to coordinate restoration work and volunteer activities in city parks. **Trail Counter:** Electronic devices that use infrared sensors to count foot traffic on trails, providing data on usage patterns to help with maintenance planning and resource allocation. **Longhouse:** Refers to the House of Healing project, a Native American cultural center being built near the arboretum by Western Washington University in partnership with local tribal communities. **Land Acknowledgement:** A formal statement recognizing that the arboretum sits on traditional territory of the Lekwamish (Lummi) and Nooksack peoples, read at the beginning of each meeting. **Interlocal Agreement:** The legal document governing the partnership between the City of Bellingham and Western Washington University for joint management of the arboretum. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | John (Chair) | Board Chair, Western Washington University representative | | Steve Janiszewski | City of Bellingham Parks and Recreation Department | | Caleb Barville | Co-founder, Western's Ecological Restoration Club | | Robin Thomas | Sehome Neighborhood Association representative | | Kendra | Board member, involved with Longhouse project | | Tracy Brewer-Rogstad | Western Washington University Associate Vice President | | Joan | At-large community board member | | Travis Tennessen | Western Washington University facilities representative | ### Background Context The Sehome Hill Arboretum is a 150-acre forested area jointly managed by the City of Bellingham and Western Washington University through an interlocal agreement. The site faces ongoing challenges with invasive plant species, unauthorized trail creation, and balancing public access with forest conservation. Student groups from Western play an increasingly important role in hands-on restoration work, with the Ecological Restoration Club alone contributing 160 community service hours in January and February 2025. The board meets monthly to coordinate management decisions and oversee various projects, from trail maintenance to educational programming. ### What Happened — The Short Version The meeting began with public comments from the Sehome Neighborhood Association about fire prevention strategies and a community guide being developed for the neighborhood. Caleb from Western's Ecological Restoration Club presented impressive numbers from their recent work: 80 volunteers removed 19 cubic yards of invasive plants and 14 cubic yards of garbage over six work parties. The club is now moving into a planting phase with native species to restore areas they've cleared. Steve from city parks reported on the new trail counter installed on Jersey Street Trail, which connects usage data to a citywide database. The city also completed a major community work party on February 15th with 58 volunteers who decommissioned 150 feet of unauthorized trail on South Ridge Trail and planted 70 native plants. The board discussed administrative matters including revisions to their land acknowledgement, potential policy updates, and changes to city board member reappointment processes. There was also discussion about possibly adding a representative from the Longhouse community to the board, though this was tabled pending the completion of that facility. ### What to Watch Next - March meeting will include the annual report and a presentation from Western students working on the arboretum website - Kendra's board position expires in May and will go through the new city reappointment process - Follow-up on whether the revised land acknowledgement will be adopted in March - Ongoing coordination between student restoration groups and city/university staff for expanded work projects ---

## MODULE S2: FLASH CARDS **Meeting ID:** BEL-SHA-2025-02-20 **Q:** How many volunteers participated in the Ecological Restoration Club's work parties in January and February 2025? **A:** 80 volunteers across six work parties, contributing 160 total community service hours. **Q:** What were the main invasive species removed by the student restoration club? **A:** Cherry laurel (40 trees), English holly (about 40 trees), English ivy, and blackberry. **Q:** How much garbage did the Ecological Restoration Club remove from the arboretum? **A:** 14 cubic yards of garbage, including bikes, skateboards, and beer stashes. **Q:** Where is the Ecological Restoration Club's primary work site located? **A:** At the intersection of Jersey Street and Myrtle Street, east of the Jersey Street Trail in a damp valley area. **Q:** What is a "social trail" and why is it problematic? **A:** An unauthorized trail created by people walking off designated paths. Social trails cause erosion and habitat damage, sometimes located just 20 feet from official trails. **Q:** How many volunteers participated in the February 15th community work party? **A:** 58 volunteers who decommissioned 150 feet of unauthorized trail and planted 70 native plants. **Q:** What technology does the city use to track trail usage? **A:** Infrared trail counters that run on batteries and collect data on usage patterns by day, hour, month, and year. **Q:** How much does each trail counter cost? **A:** Approximately $600 each. **Q:** Who supervises Caleb's work as a park steward? **A:** Ryan Roby from the City of Bellingham. **Q:** What native plants is the restoration club planning to install? **A:** Western hemlock, salmonberry (30 plants), red flowering currant, crabapple, and cascara, chosen for different light and moisture conditions. **Q:** What is the "House of Healing" project? **A:** A Native American cultural center (longhouse) being built near the arboretum by Western Washington University in partnership with local tribal communities. **Q:** When do board members' terms expire and what's changing about reappointments? **A:** Kendra's term expires May 9th. City-appointed members now must reapply rather than getting automatic reappointment. **Q:** How is the Sehome Hill Arboretum governed? **A:** By a joint board with representatives from the City of Bellingham, Western Washington University, and at-large community members. **Q:** What happened to the treehouse that was reported last meeting? **A:** It was removed by university facilities, with no further activity observed in that area. **Q:** What thorny plants were recommended for decommissioning social trails? **A:** Nootka rose and black hawthorn, which act as living fences to discourage people from using unauthorized trails. **Q:** How does the arboretum's trail usage compare to other city parks? **A:** Data is still being collected, but Boulevard Park restroom had 500,000+ visits and Civic Complex had the highest numbers citywide. **Q:** What percentage of the arboretum consists of forested area? **A:** The arboretum covers 150 acres of forested area on Sehome Hill. **Q:** What is the current status of the revised land acknowledgement? **A:** It was shared with Laurel for review and feedback, with hoped adoption at the March 2025 meeting. **Q:** Who provides the native plants for restoration work? **A:** The City of Bellingham Parks Department provides plants from their nursery for restoration projects. **Q:** What was the main concern about parking near the arboretum entrance? **A:** Cars were parking illegally along the entrance, but temporary no-parking signs have been installed and appear to be helping. ---