Dear Tweeters,

How many of you have examined the Master Plan for the Washington Park
Arboretum? I recently had the opportunity to do so at the Northwest Flower
and Garden Show...frankly, what I saw alarmed me. In order to increase access
to and use of the Arboretum, the main thrust of the Master Plan is more
pavement and more buildings. Are any of you familiar with the holly grove in
the Washington Park Arboretum? Washington Park birders recognize this as an
important feeding area for berry-eating birds: robins, varied thrushes, jays,
and so forth. In the Master Plan, this section is replaced by a parking lot
and several buildings: classrooms and a tea room are among the structures
proposed. Several day-use cabin structures will be installed on the marshy
shores of Foster Island (near the Broadmoor boundary) with the idea that
these cabins will also be available for overnight use. Pavement and
structures will increase in the Graham Visitors Center area and one of the on
ramps to nowhere will become a parking lot. Several stop lights will be
installed on Lake Washington Boulevard and a footbridge will connect the
Japanese Garden to Azalea Way. A vague note appears near the intersection of
Lake Washington Boulevard and a currently closed street in Montlake:
"Improved access to 520."

I am not opposed to improving aspects of the Arboretum, but I am concerned
that the current Master Plan is really an effort by the University of
Washington to expand its campus. As a neighbor of the Washington Park
Arboretum, I'm not thrilled by the idea of UW growth into this last remnant
of open space. This open space is vitally important to the health of Seattle
bird species and other wildlife (frogs, fish, bugs, voles, mice, raccoons,
possums) as well as residents of the surrounding neighborhoods. I understand
that the Arboretum is also a research facility, but I don't "get" the idea of
diminishing the raw research material through the construction of structures
and laying of pavement. It feels like a "build the parking lot and they will
come" approach to growth.

I am currently committed to obtaining as much information as possible about
the Master Plan. I will be happy to share this information with any
interested tweeters. I also encourage all Seattle tweeters to examine the
Master Plan. I believe Jan Silver, editor of the Washington Park Arboretum,
can tell tweeters how to obtain information about the Master Plan. Don't
bother with the Master Plan hotline number posted in the Arboretum--you don't
get a response. Contact Jan at:

Jan Silver, Editor
Washington Park Arboretum Bulletin
c/o The Arboretum Foundation
2300 Arboretum Drive East
Seattle WA 98112
Phone: 325-4510
Fax: 325-8893

I am going to write Jan with my questions about the Master Plan. I'll cc: the
Madison Park, Madison Valley, and Montlake Community councils as well as
Tweeters, Seattle Parks, my city council representative, and the University
of Washington. Once I obtain all the necessary addresses, I'll forward them
to others who would like to voice their concerns to the appropriate parties.

Best,
Wallis Bolz
(wallitra at aol.com)
2642 E. Ward Street