Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors

## MODULE S1: STUDY GUIDE **Meeting ID:** BEL-SHA-2025-05-15 ### Meeting Overview The Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors met on May 15, 2025, to discuss ongoing ecological restoration work, review a student climbing area cleanup proposal, and make decisions about longhouse stormwater management landscaping. The board also addressed administrative matters including their annual report and future meeting logistics. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Social Trails:** Unofficial paths created by repeated foot traffic that aren't on the formal trail map. The board must decide whether to formalize these trails or work to decommission them, especially if they cause erosion issues. **Ecological Restoration Club:** A Western Washington University student organization that conducts weekly volunteer work parties removing invasive species like cherry laurel and English ivy from the arboretum. **Stormwater Detention System:** Infrastructure that captures and manages rainwater runoff, requiring specific vegetation height limitations (24 inches or shorter) around access points for maintenance crews. **Invasive Species Removal:** The ongoing process of removing non-native plants like English ivy, holly, and cherry laurel that can crowd out native vegetation in forest ecosystems. **House of Healing:** A new Western Washington University building nearing completion that will serve indigenous communities and includes associated stormwater management infrastructure. **Arboretum Day:** An annual public event featuring faculty-led interpretive hikes about forest ecology, ethnobotany, arboretum history, geology, and birdwatching. **Leave No Trace Principles:** Outdoor ethics guidelines that minimize human impact on natural areas, relevant to climbing and recreational activities in the arboretum. **Mixed Seed Plantings:** Vegetation approaches using both native and non-native plant species, which board members noted tend to fail over time with non-native grasses dominating. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | John Tuxel | Board Chair | | Wayne | Board member, Western representative | | Caleb Barville | Student, Ecological Restoration Club | | Alex Strong | Senior at Fairhaven College, proposing work party project | | Travis | Board member | | Joan/Kendra | Board members | | Nick Leader | Board member | | Karen | City of Bellingham representative | | Oscar | Western grounds specialist | | Frida | City's acting stewardship supervisor | ### Background Context The Sehome Hill Arboretum exists as a partnership between Western Washington University and the City of Bellingham, creating unique governance challenges around maintenance, liability, and decision-making authority. The board regularly deals with unauthorized activities like climbing, mountain biking, and camping that occur in gray areas of their formal policies. Student organizations like the Ecological Restoration Club provide valuable volunteer labor for invasive species removal, while the board must balance access and preservation goals. The new House of Healing represents significant infrastructure development requiring careful integration with the arboretum's natural systems. ### What Happened — The Short Version Student Caleb Barville reported that volunteer work parties have removed 25 cubic yards of invasive plants over six weeks and are planning Arboretum Day on May 31st. Alex Strong, a graduating senior, proposed a work party to clean up a climbing area and improve trail access, but the board had concerns about formalizing unauthorized trails and handling hazardous waste cleanup. The board approved their annual report and discussed landscaping plans for the new stormwater detention area near the House of Healing, ultimately leaning toward using regular grass in areas requiring low vegetation for maintenance access. They also addressed ongoing website development issues and planned to return to campus meetings in September. ### What to Watch Next • Arboretum Day on Saturday, May 31st, featuring guided hikes and restoration activities • Fall meetings resuming in September, likely back on Western's campus • Stormwater detention area planting plan development over summer for board approval in fall • Student website development progress and resolution of URL/content concerns ---