Monthly Newsletter: November 2025

Welcome to Fall 2025

As we move into the shorter days and the start of the winter season, we’re grateful for the warmth our community brings to this work. Whether you’ve joined us for a lecture, supported our interns, volunteered at a restoration event, or simply walked the park trails this fall, thank you for being part of this growing community.

This month, we’re also celebrating two exciting updates:

Amazon Wish List!

We’ve launched an Amazon Wish List featuring tools, supplies, and materials that directly support our restoration work, educational programs, and adaptive children’s library. If you’d like to contribute, your support helps sustain hands-on learning and stewardship at the park.

Expanding Our Native Plant Internship Program

We’re thrilled to be growing our native plant internship pathway! This year, we’re seeking funding to support five new native plant interns who will:

• Maintain and expand the native plant garden at Saint Edward State Park
• Create educational materials for visitors
• Collaborate with the Yard by Yard program on community habitat stewardship

We’re aiming to raise $5,000 to support this work through the academic year. To contribute, visit our CoSEE donation page or email us at cosee@uw.edu.

Recap & November Highlights

Lecture: Queer Ecology

Thank you to everyone who joined Dr. Veronica Cassone McGowan for a thoughtful and expansive exploration of queer ecology. Together, we examined the rich diversity of sex, sex-development, gender, and sexuality across the natural world—and how these realities challenge dominant assumptions within science.

Key themes included:

• Accurate data and case studies demonstrating diversity across species
• The many purposes of sex and sex-linked behaviors beyond reproduction
• How political and social contexts shape scientific narratives
• It was inspiring to learn and reflect as a community

Restoration Work Party

Our monthly restoration events continue! In October, volunteers helped remove invasive blackberry root balls and clear sections of overgrowth to support healthier native habitat. Thank you to everyone who came out, rain or shine, to support the park. We will be continuing these through March.

Haunted Hall Pumpkin Carving

We were thrilled to support our friends at The Lodge during their annual Haunted Halls celebration. Participants enjoyed pumpkin carving, nature-based arts and crafts, and exploring the microscopic world through our portable microscope station. A spooky and science-filled evening was had by all!

Tabling at Wildlife Watch

We had such a great time tabling at Wildlife Watch this month—an event thoughtfully hosted by UW Bothell and Cascadia College Sustainability. We heard from CoSEE faculty Dr. Santiago Price, Dr. Michelle Price, and Dr. Jeff Jensen, and our intern, Ash Putzke, shared their work on wildlife corridors, camera traps, and connectivity with the community.

Internship Opportunities

We are currently seeking three AmeriCorps Members to support environmental education programming at Saint Edward State Park and within the broader community.

• 300 service hours (through June 2026)
• Educational stipend provided through AmeriCorps
• Opportunities for teaching, curriculum development, and community engagement

If you know a student who might be a great fit, please share the link below or have them email us at cosee@uw.edu.

Upcoming Events in December (& Beyond!)

Volunteer Work Party at Saint Edward State Park

📅 Date: December 10
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM–1:00 PM
📍 Meeting Location: EERC Classroom, 14445 Juanita Drive NE, Kenmore, WA 98028

Join us for a day of hands-on ecological stewardship! Volunteers will help remove invasive species such as English ivy and Himalayan blackberry to support native habitat restoration.

First Day Hike at Saint Edward State Park!

📅 Date & Time: January 1st | 10:00 AM
📍 Location: Meet at the EERC Classroom
⛅ Weather: Rain or shine—we’ll be out there!

Start the New Year on the trail. Join CoSEE and Washington State Parks for a community First Day Hike at Saint Edward State Park. We’ll explore the park’s winter ecology, stretch our legs, and welcome 2026 together in nature.

Other Community Events

Donation Drive

📅 Dates: Monday, Dec. 1 – Friday, Dec. 12, 2025
📍 Location: UW Bothell Campus Events

Doing a year-end clean out? Consider donating pre-loved items to campus! We are accepting clothes, kitchenware, school supplies and more. Donations will stock our next free market. See link for donation bin locations and info on what is not accepted. Learn more about the donation drive here.

Upcoming Events & Programs at the Lodge

Learn about upcoming events and programs happening at the Lodge at Saint Edward State Park. These events and offerings are always changing, so stay up to date on their website.

Reserve the EERC Classroom

14445 Juanita Drive NE, Kenmore, WA 98028
Monday–Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm (Fall Quarter)

The Environmental Education and Research Center (EERC) Classroom at Saint Edward State Park (Equipped with flexible seating, whiteboards, projector, Wi-Fi, and a kitchenette) is now available for reservation through the UW Bothell 25Live system.

Reservation Options:

• Half-Day: 9:00am – 1:00pm or 1:00pm – 5:00pm
• Full-Day: 9:00am – 5:00pm
• Outside reservation hours: $100/hour additional fee

Pricing Structure:

• Community Partners: $250 (Half-Day) | $500 (Full-Day)
• Corporate Partners: $500 (Half-Day) | $1,000 (Full-Day)
• UW Bothell Partners: $350 (Half-Day) | $700 (Full-Day)
• Reservations must be submitted through 25Live. A CoSEE staff member will be present during your event.