Saturday Stroll through the West Bay Woods
2025-08-23 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Dickinson Ave NW Trailhead, 1319 Dickinson Ave NW, Olympia, WA, 98502, United States
Join us for a guided tour through the West Bay Woods!
Olympia Ecosystems’ Board President, Sarah Hamman, will lead a walk through the woods, discussing the history of the site, our restoration goals, restoration actions to date, and stewardship plans for the future. We’ll also discuss the important roles that urban forests play for local wildlife, stormwater quality, cultural resources, and human health. Any and all questions about plant ID are also welcome! We’ll have some coffee and water for folks to enjoy along the way so bring your coffee mugs and water bottles to fill for the casual Saturday stroll through the woods!
What: Saturday Stroll through the West Bay Woods
When: August 23rd, 10-11:30am
Where: Dickinson Ave trailhead (1212 Dickinson Ave NW). If you’re driving, please park on Rogers and walk down Dickinson to the trailhead.
Why: Learn about the history, current restoration work, and future vision for this urban forest, and enjoy a beautiful morning walk through the woods!
Other details: Some of the trails are fairly steep, none of them are paved, and there are a few stairs. Please wear sturdy shoes! We will start and end at Dickinson Ave NW.

Work Party at Cooper Crest Preserve
2025-07-19 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Cooper Crest, 2922 20th Ave NW, Olympia, 98502, United States
We have a great work party planned for Saturday the 19th at Cooper Crest! We will be collecting Riverbank Lupine seeds, sanding and painting two picnic tables (shout out to our friends at Stone Creek Pizza for the free tables!), and weeding. Please come prepared with work gloves and a bucket or container if you would like to collect seeds. As usual, we will provide water and snacks. Arriving by foot or by bike is encouraged. If you drive, you may park on 20th Ave NW, or in overflow parking at Marshall Middle School. See you the 19th!

Green Cove Creek Volunteer Work Party - Free the Trees!
2025-05-17 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Green Cove Creek Preserve
Come join us at one of our Green Cove Creek properties to assist with freeing the trees from English Ivy. If you have a favorite pruning saw, now is your chance to put it to use! Clippers or pruning shears will also be helpful, along with a pair of work gloves. As always, we will provide tools, gloves, OCR coffee, water, and snacks!
There is no parking at this location, so if you drive, you will need to park near the intersection of Kaiser Road NW and 14th Avenue NW, and look for our sandwich board marking the site along Kaiser Road.

Washington Trails Association Work Party - West Bay Woods
2025-04-30 08:30 - 15:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | West Bay Woods
We will be focusing on making the current trail through the preserve more established and durable. The work will involve removing organic material, backfilling with gravel, improving drainage, and building box steps in a few steep sections.

Schedule

8:30 AM: Be ready to sign in and meet the crew, rain or shine
8:35 AM: Gather for a safety briefing, then hike to the project site
Morning: Work at your own pace, and take breaks throughout the day
12:00 PM: Lunch on the trail
Afternoon: Consider trying a new task before wrapping up the day’s work
3:30 PM: Sign out after enjoying refreshments at the trailhead

For safety reasons, arriving late or leaving early is not allowed.
You must register for this event with the Washington Trails Association at: https://www.wta.org/volunteer/schedule/workparty/a2mPB000001eBoz/

Washington Trails Association Work Party - West Bay Woods
2025-04-23 08:30 - 15:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | West Bay Woods
We will be focusing on making the current trail through the preserve more established and durable. The work will involve removing organic material, backfilling with gravel, improving drainage, and building box steps in a few steep sections.

Schedule

8:30 AM: Be ready to sign in and meet the crew, rain or shine
8:35 AM: Gather for a safety briefing, then hike to the project site
Morning: Work at your own pace, and take breaks throughout the day
12:00 PM: Lunch on the trail
Afternoon: Consider trying a new task before wrapping up the day’s work
3:30 PM: Sign out after enjoying refreshments at the trailhead

You must register with the WTA to join: https://www.wta.org/volunteer/schedule/workparty/a2mPB000001eBnN/

West Bay Woods Ivy Removal Volunteer Work Party
2025-04-19 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | WA
We will be continuing to remove invasive English ivy from the West Bay Woods, and we need help from our wonderful volunteers!
If you arrive by car, please park on Rogers St. and sign in at our reception table at the Dickinson Trailhead.
We will have some tools and work gloves available, but please bring your own clippers/pruners and gloves if you have them. As always, we will provide coffee, water, and snacks.
See you there!

Washington Trails Association Work Party - West Bay Woods
2025-04-18 08:30 - 14:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | West Bay Woods
We will be focusing on making the current trail through the preserve more established and durable. The work will involve removing organic material, backfilling with gravel, improving drainage, and building box steps in a few steep sections.

Schedule

8:30 AM: Be ready to sign in and meet the crew, rain or shine
8:35 AM: Gather for a safety briefing, then hike to the project site
Morning: Work at your own pace, and take breaks throughout the day
12:00 PM: Lunch on the trail
Afternoon: Consider trying a new task before wrapping up the day’s work
3:30 PM: Sign out after enjoying refreshments at the trailhead

You must register for this event at: https://www.wta.org/volunteer/schedule/workparty/a2mPB000001eBll/

Washington Trails Association - West Bay Woods Work Party
2025-04-02 08:30 - 15:30, 2025-03-28 08:30 - 15:30, 2025-03-26 08:30 - 15:30, 2025-03-23 08:30 - 15:30, 2025-03-19 08:30 - 15:30, 2025-03-14 08:30 - 15:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Dickinson Ave NW Trailhead, 1319 Dickinson Ave NW, Olympia, WA, 98502, United States
Overview
This is a WTA event. To participate, you must RSVP through the WTA.
Take in views of Olympia’s West Bay while we work to create a sustainable trail in this tranquil neighborhood preserve.
About the Area
The West Bay Woods is a remnant shoreline forest on the western shoreline of the Deschutes Estuary. The bluffs over West Bay Drive historically fed the beaches of the Deschutes Estuary. Today the forest is separated from the tidal waters by post-industrial fill. Though degraded, logged in the early settlement period, and farmed in places, many glimpses remain of what the forest once was.
What to Expect
We’ll have fun, work hard and make a difference! No experience is necessary.
Project Description
We will be focusing on making the current trail through the preserve more established and durable. The work will involve removing organic material, backfilling with gravel, improving drainage, and building box steps in a few steep sections.
Hiking Information
Our hike to the project site is expected to be less than 1 mile over flat or gently rolling terrain.
Schedule

8:30 AM: Be ready to sign in and meet the crew, rain or shine
8:35 AM: Gather for a safety briefing, then hike to the project site
Morning: Work at your own pace, and take breaks throughout the day
12:00 PM: Lunch on the trail
Afternoon: Consider trying a new task before wrapping up the day’s work
3:30 PM: Sign out after enjoying refreshments at the trailhead

For safety reasons, arriving late or leaving early is not allowed.
Planning Information
Get ready for a great day outside!
What it Takes to Do This Work Party

No experience is necessary—just bring a great attitude for working with a team! WTA provides the training and tools you need
Expect to be physically active at your own pace for up to 6 hours on uneven terrain
Recommended for ages 10 and older; under 14 must be accompanied by an adult and a parental consent form must be signed for anyone under 18

What to Wear
Required:

Sturdy closed-toe shoes
Work gloves
Eye protection (glasses, sunglasses, or safety glasses)
Long pants

Recommended:

Sturdy work or hiking boots
Long sleeved shirt

A hard hat will be provided by WTA. Additionally, work gloves and eye protection will be provided by WTA if you do not have your own, but when possible we recommend bringing your own. For safety reasons, certain tasks may be assigned based on the safety level of your footwear. Volunteers who do not have long pants, or sturdy closed toes shoes, will not be able to participate in the work party.
What to Bring

Lunch and plenty of water
Rain jacket and pants
Extra warm clothing in case of wet or cold weather
A pack to carry your personal gear
A sense of fun and adventure for learning new skills and meeting great people!

Firearms and weapons are not allowed.

West Bay Woods Ivy Removal Work Party
2025-03-22 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Dickinson Ave NW Trailhead, 1319 Dickinson Ave NW, Olympia, WA, 98502, United States

Work Party for Martin Luther King Jr. Day
2025-01-20 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | West Bay Woods
This year for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we will be hosting a large work party in the West Bay Woods. As a community, we will be planting trees and shrubs and installing tree-protector cages. In the past, the crowd has finished the task a bit early — Thank you, enthusiastic Volunteers!! — so we have also planned alternate weed-pulling projects for those avid weeders out there. Bring your work gloves, your favorite snack, and weather-ready clothes! Come on foot if you can. If you need to drive, please park on Rogers Street NW.

"Green Friday" Volunteer Work Party in West Bay Woods
2024-11-29 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | West Bay Woods
Thank you for your interest in volunteering! We’ll be meeting from 10AM- 2PM at the Dickinson Ave entrance of West Bay Woods, we hope to see you there!

Every year on the Friday after Thanksgiving, Olympia Ecosystems holds a work party that we call “Green Friday.” This is also Native American Heritage Day. In a counterpoint to the consumerism of Black Friday, Green Friday offers a sense of shared community around the stewardship of our local ecosystems.

This year, we will be gathering in the West Bay Woods to cage cedars, redwoods, and firs in the closed restoration area across West Bay Drive from the derelict Reliable Steel building. This area has been closed for restoration for the last three years to enable ecosystem recovery without human or cervine (deer) impacts, and has begun to recover nicely, with areas of dense red elderberry and vigorous alder, cottonwood, and willow growth.

It is time to reopen this area to the public – and the deer – but before we do, we need to protect the many conifers that we planted over the past years, specifically cedar, redwood, shore pine, and Douglas fir.
Just to see this area from the inside is a treat you will not want to miss, with its commanding view of Budd Inlet from the Olympics to the north, Tahoma to the east, and the Capitol building to the south. Join us on Green Friday for a day of service and community!

Volunteer Work Party - Tree Protectors for baby Cedars at Cooper Crest!
2024-10-26 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Cooper Crest, 2922 20th Ave NW, Olympia, 98502, United States
Join us on October 26th to upgrade the tree protectors for our baby cedars from 10AM-2PM at Cooper Crest Preserve located at 2922 20th Ave NW. These cedars we planted in 2022 have been growing big and strong, and need larger cages to keep them safe from pesky deer. It’s the first work party for this large project of giving new cages to over 1,000 cedars! Bring work gloves, pliers, and sledgehammers if you have them. Park along the street or at Marshall Middle School. See you there!

10-year Anniversary Celebration in the West Bay Woods!
2024-09-14 13:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Dickinson Ave NW Trailhead, 1319 Dickinson Ave NW, Olympia, WA, 98502, United States
Olympia Ecosystems is 10 years old! Please join us in the West Bay Woods on Saturday, September 14th from 1-4pm to celebrate all of the accomplishments over the past decade. We will have light treats (including ice cream!) and refreshing drinks, music, speakers, and a tour of the woods to highlight everything this organization has done over the years with incredible community support. We look forward to celebrating with you and building a vision for the next ten years! Kiddos and leashed dogs are welcome.

Volunteer Work Party - Saturday, August 10
2024-08-10 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | West Bay Woods
Join us for a few hours to continue to remove the ivy from the West Bay Woods near the Dickinson Ave NW trailhead. If you enjoy your walks in the West Bay Woods, try to imagine that it was all once covered in ivy with little understory diversity and a lost generation of trees. We will be giving tours of the woods around 1:00pm, including areas that are currently closed for restoration, and sharing our vision for the next trails we are planning. Come lend a hand and see for yourself how much difference a few hours of weed pulling can make!

Volunteer Work Party - Saturday, April 20
2024-04-20 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | WA
Anyone with a yard knows that early spring is prime time to nip invasive species in the bud before they really take off; that’s also true of our preserves! We have another work party in the West Bay Woods coming up the third Saturday in April. Please come on out and reconnect with your community by helping Olympia Ecosystems remove invasive ivy.
A welcome table will be set up at the Dickinson Ave. trailhead; The event will run from 10am to 2pm. At 1:00PM there will be a tour of the West Bay Woods. We hope to see you there!
Where: The east end of Dickenson Ave NW, Olympia, WA 98502
When: Saturday, April 20, 10AM – 2PM
Where to park: Please park on the street without blocking private driveways.
What to bring: Appropriate clothes for the weather, boots, work gloves, water. We will provide shovels, buckets, and snacks.

MLK Jr Day Planting Party - January 15th
2024-01-15 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | West Bay Woods
Join us Monday, January 15 at 1515 West Bay Drive for a big day of planting native plants and shrubs into Stormwater Park North (the northern unit of the West Bay Woods) by the heron and salmon sculptures at the West Bay Art Crossing. We will be underplanting this section of shoreline forest, recently freed from English ivy, with conifers and native understory plants to reboot forest succession for the next generation. We will also be spreading mulch and doing some light weeding.
Walk or ride your bike if you can. If you are coming from the Northwest Neighborhood, you can walk down the Woodard Ave NW Pathway. We’ll have tools, snacks, water, hot tea & coffee to share (bring your own mug!).
Where: 1515 West Bay Dr. NW, Olympia, WA 98502
When: Monday, January 15th, 10AM – 2PM
Where to park: Limited parking is available at the end of Woodard Ave. Overflow parking is available at Smyth Landing (1801 West Bay Drive NW).
What to bring: Appropriate clothes for the weather, boots, work gloves, water. We will provide all other tools and refreshments.
Why it’s important
This project consists of a detached remnant shoreline forest that includes the impervious slabs of now demolished out-buildings of a defunct plywood mill. The hillside forest is dominated by bigleaf maple and red alder.
The understory and successional conifers, however, are largely absent, as the area has been long neglected and is now covered in a think blanket of English ivy, that has inhibited natural regrowth.
This area presents a meaningful opportunity to address water quality issues with green infrastructure and forest restoration. Our long-term goals are to install neighborhood-scale green infrastructure to treat 730,000 gallons per day of urban runoff that currently flows directly into Budd Inlet and to create a publicly-accessible community space that supports education, recreation, and art.

West Bay Woods Work Party – December 2023
2023-12-16 10:00 - 14:00 UTC | West Bay Woods
We continue the permitting process to turn the former parking lot at this site into a pond. We have made significant progress this year on that front. However, we have a persistent problem with bind weed (or morning glory), and Himalayan blackberry. Some of this site is undergoing glorious reforestation and is at this point self propelled. Some of it still needs our help. Morning glory removal is for those with patience. We will be working with our WCC crews and you, our volunteers, to weed this area and to translocate some black cottonwood in the form of live stakes. Join us and help make a difference at our Stormwater Park South site in the West Bay Woods!
Parking: Limited parking is available at 1215 West Bay Drive (across from the derelict Reliable Steel buildings). You may also park at West Bay Park and walk down West Bay Drive to our site.
What to bring: We will have some tools, but please consider bringing water, gloves, and garden tools for weeding. We’ll provide water, coffee, and snacks.

West Bay Woods Work Party – November 2023
2023-11-18 10:00 - 14:00 UTC | West Bay Woods
Our new Stormwater Park above West Bay Drive is nearing completion! We are excited to open this section of the West Bay Woods up to the public, but we need to get some plants in the ground first! Please come help OlyEcosystems plant native species at Stormwater Park South. Parking is very limited on site, so please be prepared to park at the West Bay “Rotary” Park and walk a block or so to the site. Please bring gloves and a shovel, if you have one. We will have some tools available.

West Bay Woods Work Party - October 2023
2023-10-21 10:00 - 14:00 UTC | West Bay Woods
OlyEcosystems is working to eventually connect the restoration area on West Bay Drive, at the south end of the Preserve, to the rest of the West Bay Woods. The weeds are starting to take over at this site and we need your help. Please come help remove invasive species at the restoration area in the south West Bay Woods, near West Bay Drive and Brawne Ave., across from the Rotary Park.
Please park at the Rotary park and walk up to the Restoration site just across West Bay Drive, on the lot north of 909 West Bay Drive here.
We will have some tools, but please consider bringing water, gloves, and garden tools for weeding.

West Bay Woods Work Party - September 2023
2023-09-16 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | West Bay Woods

August Volunteer Work Party
2023-08-19 10:00 - 13:00 UTC | Green Cove Creek Preserve
What combines time in the great outdoors, the satisfaction of improving local habitat, and spending time with others who enjoy the same? Join us to Nix the Knotweed along the edge of Green Cove Creek. Sponsored by the Olympia Ecosystems (OlyEcosystems) along with our stewards.
Why nix the knotweed? Knotweed is highly invasive and spreads quickly. It can quickly dominate stream banks, sides of roads, gardens, and other sunny, moist, and disturbed sites. It shades out native plants, reduces access to streams, and its strong roots can even destroy buildings.
When? From 10am-1pm on Saturday August 19, 2023
Where? Park on the corner of 14th Ave NW and Kaiser Road NW or at the Grass Lakes Park entrance on Kaiser Road, then carefully cross Kaiser Road (site is on the West side of Kaiser Road NW).
What to wear/bring? Wear any comfortable clothing, and bring any sharp cutting tool: hand loppers, pruners, or small landscape scythes work well. Coffee and water will be provided. BYOC – bring your own cup!
Please email Diane at diane@olyecosystems.org to register!

July Volunteer Work Party
2023-07-15 10:00 - 14:00 UTC | Cooper Crest, 2922 20th Ave NW, Olympia, 98502, United States

West Bay Woods Work Party
2023-07-15 09:00 - 14:00 UTC | West Bay Woods
What better way to beat the heat then gather with community in the shady woods for some weeding? We will be working in and around the fenced in area downhill from the Hays Avenue Trailhead.
For those of you who have never been inside this fenced in area or who have not been there in a while, you will be pleased with how this hillside is progressing. We hope to open this area up next spring. For now, we will be finding tansy ragwort, butterfly bush, clearing horsetail around new plants, finding blackberry and freeing the plants in the wetland area from morning glory (aka bindweed).
Parking: Either at site entrance off of West Bay Drive or park along Rogers St NW and walk down from the Hays Avenue Trailhead.
What to bring: Work gloves and a can-do attitude. We will provide water and light snacks.

June Volunteer Work Party
2023-06-17 10:00 - 14:00 UTC | West Bay Woods

Nix the Knotweed
2023-05-26 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | WA
Nix the Knotweed is an all-volunteer effort led by professional organic gardeners and landscapers in Connecticut: Suz Thompson, Petie Reed, and Perennial Harmony Gardens. We credit them for their mentorship in mechanical means of controlling invasive knotweed varieties.
