This walk will take folks through and around McKinley Park to appreciate the ways that urban trees improve our lives. Trees can help reduce urban temperatures by evaporating water and shading the area around them, and they also help reduce stormwater flooding and pollution. But how do urban trees respond to extreme heat? What does that mean for the services we depend on? The trees can help us understand before they depart for their winter slumber!

Layer up and wear comfortable shoes. We will be walking approximately 1-1.5 miles. A good portion of the walk will be in a shaded area, so make sure you are prepared to be comfortable in the cooler sections of the park, and also bring your rain gear in case the weather requires it!

Meeting Point: We will meet at the main entrance of the park, which is on Upper Street Park closest to 31st Street.

This event is possible thanks to Tacoma Creates.

About Steven:

Steven Quick is a graduate of the Master of Environmental Science program at Evergreen State College. Since 2016, he has been working on urban and remote land conservation and restoration projects aimed at restoring salmon populations across the state. His interests in forests and ecosystem services have led to his current work investigating trees as stormwater solutions and improving urban forestry research methods. He currently works as a research assistant for the Fischer Lab of Plant and Community Ecology at Evergreen, and a data management technician for Mount Saint Helens Institute.

Meeting Point: