We are volunteers working to preserve and enhance Seward Park, on behalf of all of the park’s visitors, the old-growth forest, and many species of wildlife.


Friends of Seward Park

Sword ferns are fundamental to PNW forests.  They live long lives - for centuries, or even a thousand years for individual plants.    Like Douglas-Fir,  they take root on bare soil on open ground,  rarely reproduce once the forest canopy forms, are hardy against pests, pathogens and drought.

But since 2014 they have been dying here at Seward Park and elsewhere throughout the PNW.   Our citizen science research suggests a water-borne pathogen.   This spot just off the sqebeqsed trail was the last  intact "sea" of magnificent ferns - see photo below - until the die-off struck in September of 2020.   We use this photo station to track its spread, and to inform our research into its causes and possible remedies.

The first mortality at this site,  September 2020: 4 dead ferns:

The full history of our research can be found here.

Windfall Trail Sword Fern Die-off

Dramatic decline and death of Western Hemlocks of all ages is concentrated in the north-central acres of Seward Park's old-growth forest.  In the survey map below, only some selected trees are shown.  The top cluster is where the chronolog post is located. 

With loss of canopy, sunlight strikes the ground, and this central region is regenerating unassisted.   We will track this over time.

Final report from the summer 2021 survey. 

Friends of Seward Park

Washington

2 chronologs managed by Friends of Seward Park

Hemlock Graveyard Regeneration

Windfall Trail Sword Fern Die-off

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