Blue Crew (YACom 14) spent October supporting long-term restoration work with Parks Tacoma. At China Lake Park, the crew worked across multiple weeks to remove invasive species, including Himalayan blackberry, English ivy, bindweed, and herb Robert. They maintained previously restored sites and cleared new areas for planting, finishing the project by planting and mulching native vegetation to strengthen the forested ecosystem. The crew also worked at the Parks Tacoma Headquarters, which includes five acres of natural area and several native plant beds. Their work focused on removing invasive plants and maintaining the health of the existing native landscape.

Yellow Crew (YACom 10) focused on restoration and community forestry projects throughout Tacoma and the South Sound region. At Eastside Community Center, the crew cleared invasive blackberry and Scotch broom across the 55-acre nature area, trimmed lower tree limbs, and completed a large planting and mulching effort in early October. They later joined Orange Crew for a partnership with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife at the South Puget Sound Wildlife Area in Lakewood, where they removed Scotch broom, prepared planting sites, watered 700 native starts from the previous year, and restored 25 acres of prairie habitat that supports endangered species. During a community planting event on October 18th, the crew members also helped teach volunteers how to properly plant and care for trees. To close the month, they supported Parks Tacoma’s Food Forest at Charlotte’s Blueberry Park by removing invasive grasses and plants encroaching on fruit trees, and mulching the cleared areas to improve soil health.

Orange Crew (YACom 13) partnered with Parks Tacoma, the Tacoma Tree Foundation, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife throughout October. The crew worked at Senator Rosa Franklin Park, continuing invasive species removal and restoration efforts from previous seasons. They targeted creeping St. John’s wort, English ivy, and Himalayan blackberry while protecting recently planted native vegetation. They also joined Yellow Crew at the South Puget Sound Wildlife Area for a week of prairie restoration before returning for an additional week to continue invasive removal and maintenance work. In partnership with the Tacoma Tree Foundation, the crew supported urban forestry efforts across the South End neighborhood, assisting with tree deliveries and planting more than 50 trees at local homes to expand Tacoma’s urban canopy.