Big changes coming to Arboretum's south end

The Washington Park Arboretum's collections are so renowned that state bridge-expansion plans at the north end have triggered international and local outrage. But at the Arboretum's south end, there are new concerns.

Nearly 70 years of uninhibited growth of trees and invasive species has created dark, overgrown spaces that have become magnets for drug use, sexual activities and other problems, Arboretum and parks officials say.

The overgrowth is shading new plants, while many of the old trees are dying. Others, including maples and cedars, were damaged in winter storms, botanical experts say.

So while it seems odd to cut down trees in an arboretum, a new Seattle Parks and Recreation project -- one of the first in the Arboretum's master plan -- aims to do just that.

Arboretum supporters and botanical experts say the project, called "Pacific Connections," will provide an new south entrance and create an internationally unique destination for education, sustainability and "eco-geographic" botanical collections. But some Arboretum fans have concerns.

The 12-acre project site lies between south Arboretum Drive East and Lake Washington Boulevard East, connecting to the Madison Park neighborhood. The Japanese Garden lies across Lake Washington Boulevard from the site, which will get a new meadow, a green-built educational shelter and a new trail system connecting five zones with trees and plants native to Cascadia (the Northwest) and Australia, New Zealand, Chile and China.

"There really won't be anything like this project in the world; it will be one of a kind," said David Mabberley, director of the University of Washington Botanic Gardens. Mabberley said no other arboretum has attempted to build five geographically distinctive forests from the ground up.

The project designs, which have undergone public hearings for more than a year, are not without controversy. Some Arboretum supporters are concerned that an estimated 550 trees will be removed over the life of the multiphase, multiyear project.

Arboretum officials say they took inventory of trees and plants in the 230-acre Arboretum, filing required environmental impact documents. Most trees will be saved and moved to more suitable locations in the Arboretum, they said. About 485 existing trees will be preserved, and 487 trees, 456 shrubs and 98,546 ground-cover plants will be added, planners say.

Richard Ellison, founder of Save Seattle's Trees, said he is not sure how many trees will be lost. "It seems they're trying to create wholesale change, but it's not clear to the community which trees are being removed and why. There is some concern that there's this private vision that is going to take over and modify this public resource."

Cheryl Trivison, an urban forestry advocate in Seattle, said, "The Master Plan should be revisited and keeping all existing mature, healthy trees should be a part of the new design."

But city-funded infrastructure and irrigation work already is under way, and the Pacific Connections Project is slated for groundbreaking in October, said Donald Harris of the city Parks and Recreation Department.

Harris is the liaison among the city, which owns the Arboretum, the University of Washington, which manages the botanical collections, and the Arboretum Foundation, the fundraising arm.

Former Port of Seattle Commissioner Paige Miller, the Arboretum Foundation's new director, said fundraising for Phase 1 -- the meadow, the shelter and the Cascadia exhibit -- is about $350,000 short of its $2 million goal. But she added that widespread interest could translate into donations.

Elizabeth Loudon, education and outreach manager for the UW Botanic Gardens, said the project comes at a time of unprecedented growth. She said 2006 saw a record 8,000 student visitors.

Dennis Meyer, principal design consultant for the Seattle-based Portico Group, said one goal of the project is to seek new trees and plants "that will take many years to grow, but which will be there for future generations to enjoy."

IF YOU GO

The public is invited to view the plans for the Pacific Connections Project at an open house from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Graham Visitors Center, 2300 Arboretum Drive E., Washington Park Arboretum. For more information, visit goto.seattlepi.com/r780 or call Andy Scheffer, the project manager, at 206-684-7041.