Rediscovering Nature With Urban Rewilding

PNW cities rekindle their relationships with nature through restoration projects

Story and photo by Madison Linney

A sign posted at the entrance of the Larrabee right-of-way, a rewilding project in the Happy Valley neighborhood of Bellingham, Wash. // Photo by Madison Linney on March 3, 2024

In the hearts of several bustling PNW cities covered in concrete and steel, there lives a quiet movement to reclaim land that rightfully belongs to native plants and animals. This movement, urban rewilding, takes many forms and can encourage residents to discover or reinforce their bonds with nature. 

Seattle, Wash. was an estuary ecosystem 175 years ago. Native animals, plants and the Duwamish people all lived on the land together. Today, Seattle is home to 749,256 people. Through decades of urbanization, we’ve seen 900-foot skyscrapers go up, underground transportation tunnels constructed, and famous attractions like the Space Needle and Great Wheel built. 

As cities like Seattle continue to develop, the relationship between nature and humans continues to fray. Wildlife has experienced “habitat alteration, interrupted migration patterns, displacement, reduced reproductive success and exposure to invasive species” because of urbanization. Urban development proceeds as cities look to accommodate their population increases. With urban rewilding, the relationship between humans and wildlife can be rekindled.

Urban rewilding is, broadly speaking, the process of restoring nature to its rightful place. “Rewilding” is often used interchangeably with “restoration.” It can include restoring entire areas or creating shared spaces for nature and people through urban innovation. An important part of urban rewilding is green spaces: “area[s] of grass, trees, or other vegetation set apart for recreational or aesthetic purposes in an otherwise urban environment,” according to Jacqueline Reyes, a Seattle program manager for The Wilderness Society.  

Wendy Scherrer, a board member of the Happy Valley Neighborhood Association (HVNA) and an environmental educator, defines urban rewilding as the restoration of the human-made and natural environment for mutual benefit. Urban rewilding is the process of designing for the present and future with nature considered in an urban context. 

“It’s connecting with the local ecosystem and capturing some of the functions of that ecosystem that are there and should be there,” Scherrer said. 

Urban rewilding is important for encouraging conservation and stewardship in society. Some examples include wildlife highways such as Seattle’s Pollinator Pathway, or restored parks and greenspaces like the Olympic Sculpture Park which worked to create a functioning ecosystem in an area that was polluted by the previous oil company. 

“The Eagle” statue at Olympic Sculpture Park. This park was rewilded from an oil company brownfield. // Photo by Madison Linney on on February 25, 2024

By fostering this relationship with nature, we can see benefits for all those involved. Introducing rewilding into cities can increase biodiversity and improve ecosystems, counteract climate change and improve overall health for humans and wildlife. 

When residents lack access to nature, it can have negative effects such as nature deficit disorder. According to the Rachel Carson Council, nature deficit disorder is related to the isolation an individual has from nature, which can lead to more physical and mental disorders such as obesity, ADHD and depression. Additionally, a lack of exposure to nature in cities is correlated with higher crime rates. 

Organizations like The Wilderness Society are trying to counteract the negatives of urbanization. The Wilderness Society advocates for the protection of nature through local, state and federal policies, improves access to parks and green spaces and encourages stewardship according to Reyes. Reyes manages the Seattle Urban to Wild program, which focuses on bringing the benefits of nature back to individuals.

“Our program in particular is really rooted firmly in the belief that access to nature is a human right, and recognizes the immeasurable benefits to spending time outdoors from the improvement of mental, physical and spiritual health to just reducing anxiety and stress,” Reyes said.

Reyes said that their program also works to build and improve local parks and transportation in urban areas so that nature can be more easily brought to residents. 

“I would say that the concept of urban rewilding is really figuring out how to bridge that gap between connecting folks to nature, but then also bringing people to nature and kind of having that centered in our urban context,” Reyes said. 

In the case of the Olympic Sculpture Park, there were three restoration projects in place during the park’s development. Those projects included brownfield redevelopment, restoration of salmon habitat and capturing and using rainwater at the park. Restoration projects like this allow for wildlife to be reintroduced while also giving residents a chance to rediscover nature.

“Just having that green space … whenever I walk outside the door is something that is really beneficial to me,” Reyes said. “I know that for example, when I go visit my family that live in Federal Way, you still get trees and some green spaces, but your access to parks can be pretty limited,” Reyes said. “So sometimes it can make it feel like the only way that you can connect with nature is by going further away, which can be challenging.”

Cities and towns of all sizes can benefit from urban rewilding and improved access to green spaces and nature. Bellingham, Wash., with its surrounding mountains, lakes and bays, reflects this ideology. 

“Unlike many communities, especially larger cities, Bellingham is fortunate to still retain a rich variety of fish and wildlife habitats in and amongst our neighborhoods. Habitats include over 75 miles of shoreline, freshwater lakes, six stream systems, approximately 1,000 acres of wetlands, and over 7,000 acres of forest,” said Analiese Burns, habitat and restoration manager for the City of Bellingham’s Public Works Department, in an email.

According to the U.S. Census, in 2020, Bellingham had a population of 91,482. That number increased in 2023 by 4.9%. As Bellingham’s population continues to grow, so does the importance of cohabitation between people and natural spaces. With this idea in mind, some local organizations, residents and government officials have taken it upon themselves to maintain and restore Bellingham's natural areas. 

Burns said that the city works toward maintaining healthy ecosystems while valuing the underlying relationship through its legacies and strategic commitments as well as its comprehensive plan. 

The legacies and strategic commitments were adopted in 2009 and, according to the comprehensive plan, emphasize “a healthy environment, vibrant economy, sense of place, equity and other important goals.” The comprehensive plan is a document that depicts Bellingham’s 20-year vision for the city and how to implement it. Parks and recreation are cited as important for residents seeking a relationship with nature without having to travel lengthy distances. The plan also discusses protecting the city's lakes, creeks and bay.

“These habitats provide corridors for fish and wildlife,” Burns said. “They are also the foundation for ecosystem functions important to a vibrant community including flood control, groundwater recharge, water quality improvements, erosion control, recreation, education and habitat for commercially important species.”

Burns added that currently, the city has an ecology and restoration group in the Natural Resources Division of Bellingham that focuses on fish and wildlife habitats. 

“We are especially proud of our recent project to create the new Little Squalicum Estuary restoration project. This project is located in a public park, making it possible to not only benefit fish and wildlife but also provide educational opportunities to students and an up-close and personal view for park users,” Burns said. 

Outside of the overarching comprehensive plan for Bellingham, local organizations and residents share the same goals for restoration and have helped with rewilding projects. Some examples include Western Washington University's LEAD program replanting using the Miyawaki method, the Whatcom Million Trees Project, and the HVNA Trees, Streets and Trails Committee. 

One of HVNA’s recent projects focused on the rewilding of an apartment stormwater pond. Scherrer got permission from the board to restore this area after seeing that it was not being maintained by the apartment complex owner and had been taken over by invasive blackberries. The city ended up purchasing the area and HVNA formed a maintenance agreement with them for it.

“From 22nd to 21st, you'll see a pathway. We put two benches in there and we planted hundreds of plants, and we have an agreement with the City Public Works Department that we’ll maintain it,” Scherrer said. 

This area is now known as the Larrabee right-of-way and features native plants, a pond frequented by ducks and deer, and several spaces designed with pollinators in mind.

The Larrabee right-of-way pond surrounded by trees and homes. // Photo by Madison Linney on March 3, 2024

Scherrer, a resident of Bellingham for five decades, recognizes the need to accommodate the growing population, but she feels it’s equally important to keep enough space for wildlife. One way that Scherrer and the HVNA try to do this is by using the Connelly Creek Nature Area for mitigation. If a new apartment complex removes 10 trees, 30 will be planted in Connelly Creek. Along with this, the HVNA runs a street tree program that encourages residents to plant more trees in the neighborhood. These are both ways that Scherrer says the HVNA is trying to revegetate the area. 

In the time that Scherrer has lived in Bellingham, she’s seen improvement in the care of wildlife and nature. She’s seen more governmental officials involved who care about the environment and has witnessed numerous projects dedicated to the health of wildlife and people. 

Urban rewilding can allow cities and communities to coexist harmoniously with wildlife. As the movement continues, cities will hopefully be able to foster more biodiversity and improve the quality of life for all residents, both urban and wild.

A bench and trail guide at an entrance to the Connelly Creek trail, another of the HVNA’s rewilding projects. // Photo by Madison Linney on March 3, 2024