When a park becomes a classroom

In first-ever class at the Environmental Education and Research Center, students conduct research with an eye for conserving biodiversity in urban green spaces.

Early in his career as an ecologist, Dr. David Stokes, like many at the time, wanted to understand how ecosystems functioned in pristine conditions away from human influence. In Patagonia, South America, he studied penguins to get the “unvarnished truth” about nature. 

Later, he began to feel like another piece was missing from the puzzle — the human piece. 

“By the time I came to Bothell, I was becoming more convinced that humans are a really important part of the story,” said Stokes, a professor in the University of Washington Bothell’s School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences. 

Stokes began teaching at the University in 2006 and was quickly drawn to nearby Saint Edward State Park as a potential site for research and learning opportunities for students. “I was really interested in how natural systems work in an urban context, and Saint Edward State Park was a great example of that,” Stokes said. “It’s a really spectacular natural resource that we have right in our backyard that is so accessible to campus.” 

Together with other faculty, staff and partners in the community, Stokes helped to push forward a project for a newcfacility at the park. In 2022, the Environmental Education and Research Center opened as a place for the appreciation, research, study and stewardship of Pacific Northwest ecosystems. 

In winter 2024 quarter, Stokes taught the first UW Bothell course based out of the center.