Newsletter: October 2025

Welcome to Fall 2025! As the quarter continues, we’re excited to welcome students, faculty, and community partners. This month, we’re also celebrating two exciting updates. See below!

Important Updates

New Partnership with the EPA

We’re thrilled to share that CoSEE has partnered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to bring air-quality monitoring sensors to our network. These sensors are part of the national AirNow.gov ,. which is program that tracks both indoor and outdoor air quality and wildfire smoke across the country.

Through this initiative, local students will monitor air quality at their schools, hang colored flags (red, yellow, green) based on the day’s readings, and see how their site compares to others in the region. We will have 2-3 sensors within the classroom and the park.

Expanding Our Native Plant Internship Program

We’re seeking funding to support five new native plant interns this year! These interns will help maintain and expand the native plant garden at Saint Edward State Park, create educational materials for visitors, and collaborate with the Yard by Yard program. We’re hoping to raise $5,000 to sustain this work for the academic year. To contribute, visit our CoSEE donation page or contact us at cosee@uw.edu.

Recap & October Highlights

Lecture: Salmon in Our Neighborhoods

Thank you to everyone who joined Dr. Jeff Jensen for his lecture on native kokanee salmon. Jeff shared insights from his ongoing research and helped us understand what these fish reveal about the health of our local ecosystems. We brough lots of salmon into the classroom for folks to explore. This lecture was recorded and will be on YouTube in the coming weeks for those who could not attend.

Fall Open Houses

We were so glad to welcome faculty, students, and staff to explore the Environmental Education & Research Center this month. Thank you to everyone who came out to learn about how to teach classes at the EERC, support student internships, and connect research with the surrounding community.

Lecture: Brilliance of the Natural World

Dr. Veronica Cassone McGowan led a thought-provoking evening lecture exploring the brilliance and agency of the more-than-human world. Her talk invited us to consider how multispecies intelligence can reshape our approaches to teaching, learning, and research. This talk was recorded and will be on YouTube in the coming weeks.

Environmental and Adventure School Restoration Days

A huge thank-you to the students from the Environmental and Adventure School for joining us for three days of restoration work at Saint Edward State Park. Together, they removed large sections of invasive blackberry and made a major impact on the park’s trails and natural areas.

Mushroom Outing with the Alyssa Burnett Center

Another wonderful event with our partners from the Alyssa Burnett Center, who joined us for a guided mushroom walk through the forest. Participants searched for fungi of all kinds while learning about their ecological roles and explored their beauty! We also looked at Sulphur Tuft mushrooms which glow under UW light.

Haunted Halls at the Lodge

We loved supporting our friends at The Lodge at Saint Edward State Park for their Haunted Halls event! CoSEE helped with pumpkin carving and joined the community in celebrating the fall season and getting into the Halloween spirit.

Internship Opportunities

AmeriCorps Environmental Education Position

We are seeking three AmeriCorps Members to support environmental education efforts at Saint Edward State Park and in the greater community. Members will serve approximately 300 hours over the academic year (through June 2026) and will receive an educational stipend through AmeriCorps upon completion.

Upcoming Events in November (& Beyond!)

Volunteer Work Party at Saint Edward State Park

November 19 | 10:00 – 1:00 pm
EERC (14445 Juanita Dr NE Kenmore, WA 98028)

Join us for a day of stewardship and discovery at Saint Edward State Park! The park is home to rich flora, fauna, and history—and with increased visitation, it needs our collective care more than ever. Volunteers will help remove invasive species such as English ivy and Himalayan blackberry to restore native habitat.

All ages 8 + welcome; no experience needed. Work happens rain or shine—please dress for the weather.

Where to meet: Playground area. Volunteer parking will be on the south lawn just past the playground (see attached map). Take NE 145th toward the park, turn left after the ball field, and follow signs to the playground.

What to bring (required):

• Closed toe shoes
• Water
• Hand pruners or loppers (we have some but could always use more)
• Gardening Gloves (we will provide extra if you do not have your own)

Lecture: Queer Ecology (Zoom Available)

Dr. Veronica Cassone McGowan
November 19 | 7:00 – 8:30 pm
EERC (14445 Juanita Dr NE Kenmore, WA 98028)

Learn more about the incredible range and diversity of sex, sex-development, gender, and sexuality in the natural world and the many purposes of sex and sexuality for building strong and vibrant communities beyond reproduction.

In this lecture we will:

• Examine the connection between social and political contexts and emergent and dominant theories about sex, gender, and sexuality in the natural sciences.
• Engage with expansive and accurate data and case studies that highlight the full range and diversity of sex, sex-development, gender, and sexuality of the natural world
• Consider the purposes of sex, sex-linked behaviors, and development beyond reproduction.

Other Community Events

Free Tree Planting

November 8, 2025 | 11AM – 2PM
Wallace Swamp Creek Park (Meet in parking lot)
19851 73rd Ave NE, Kenmore, WA 98028

Join Sno-King Watershed Council & the City of Kenmore for a day of service planting trees in Wallace Swamp Creek Park! Bring your work gloves and a reusable water bottle – we’ll provide the tools and snacks.

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.

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.