ECOSS

Happy Latine Conservation Month! We kicked off September with a guided kayak tour with comunidad, and saw so many beautiful moments in nature together 🪷

Seattle City Light and ECOSS co-hosted a tour of the Skagit Hydroelectric Project for members of DRCC ! We learned about how dams and rivers help create a source of electricity, ongoing environmental protection efforts, and we even saw a few bears 🐻!!

🌟We're about 4 weeks away🌟 from ECOSS CommUNITY Night! Zambuko Marimba will be performing as part of our program, and you won't want to miss it! We'll also have amazing street foods from local vendors, a raffle, online auction, and so much more. Get your tickets today!

🎟️ Tickets: https://givebutter.com/c/ecoss-community-night-ahcnsp

https://youtu.be/wt9-O5lVFEg?si=71MzAfqzC506SMsK

www.youtube.com

WTA statement on ICE arrest of family members camping on public lands (published at 15:30 PST on Sept. 9):

We are deeply disturbed by the recent report that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials arrested five people who were camping with their families in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest over Labor Day weekend.

While this story is still developing, we are concerned that incidents like this will set an alarming precedent for Washington’s public lands that could make the outdoors less welcoming and safe. WTA believes that everyone should have opportunities to get outside and enjoy the benefits of time in nature. This can only happen when people feel safe and welcome on public lands.

The outdoors should be a place of joy, wonder, reflection and play. If people don’t feel safe on public lands, they may not receive the mental and physical benefits of time outside. ICE enforcement activity on public lands risks eroding the trust between outdoor recreators and our nation’s land managers. If people avoid talking to Forest rangers, they won’t be able to ask for information or help when they need it, making the outdoors less safe overall.

At WTA, our vision is trails for everyone, forever. That means we’re working to build a future where every person can access the outdoors and feel safe and welcomed there. This work is more important than ever, and we’re proud to partner with groups that connect Latino and immigrant communities with the outdoors.

If you’d like to be a part of this work, please consider supporting our partners at ECOSS and Latino Outdoors.

To celebrate finishing out another wonderful Outdoor Leadership Cohort season, we went whitewater rafting together! There are so many ways to experience nature, and we are so grateful to have the opportunity to share these experiences with our cohort participants. The cohort will be planning their own outdoor outings as the next step of our program, and we can't wait to see where they will go with their communties!

We're 🌟ONE MONTH AWAY🌟 and so excited to reveal the amazing food and entertainment for Community Night 2026! We’ll have global street foods at our event from Easy Caribbean, Rojo’s Mexican Food, Salima’s Specialties, and Spice Waala. We'll also have a performance by Zambuko Marimba, a raffle items including a guided walk through Seattle hosted by author David B. Williams, and two roundtrip tickets to Victoria, B.C. by FRS Clipper Vacations, as well as additional items up for auction online, and so much more!

If you’re unable to attend in person, we’ll miss you, but you can still make your impact felt by making a gift in honor of ECOSS and our work. Your attendance at this year’s event and/or contributions will help to create valuable funding which ECOSS will reinvest through our programs into the communities we work alongside.

So, join us for some great food, fun prizes, amazing performances, and to celebrate commUNITY! We can’t wait to see you on October 8th at the SeaMar Museum of Chicano/a Latino/a Culture!

🎟️ TICKETS: https://givebutter.com/c/ecoss-community-night-ahcnsp

Removing blackberry (water bottle for scale 😄) in Rainier Vista as part of the Foresting Seattle program! Removal of introduced species like blackberry and ivy makes space for future native plantings. Thanks for coming out!

September is Latine Conservation Month! This September, organizations across Seattle & Yakima are coming together to celebrate Latine Conservation Month, with the hopes of creating opportunities for community members to spend time outdoors, learn about the natural work, and participate in actively caring for our shared green spaces. Learn more: https://sites.google.com/frontandcentered.org/lcm-wa/actividades
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Este mes de septiembre, organizaciones de Seattle y Yakima se unen para celebrar el Mes de la Conservación Latine, con la esperanza de crear oportunidades para que los miembros de la comunidad pasen tiempo al aire libre, aprendan sobre el mundo natural y participen activamente en el cuidado de nuestros espacios verdes compartidos.

👀 Some animals (including orcas!!) we saw on our Immigrant Youth Water Stewards cohort boat tour with 🦭🐋🦅. We learned so much about all the animals who call the Puget Sound region home from the wonderful naturalists who led our group!

📸 Photos courtesy FRS Clipper Whale Watching