Fauntleroy Creek:
An In-City Resource for Bringing
the Natural World to Life
Fauntleroy Creek is a year-round stream bisecting a 98-acre residential
watershed in West Seattle. Fed by springs and runoff, the creek originates
in forested Fauntleroy Park and flows a mile west into Fauntleroy Cove in
central Puget Sound. The uplands, wetlands, riparian corridor, and cove
that make up the creek system, together with an annual coho return, offer
a rich resource for students to explore, study, and steward a natural
environment right in the city.
About Our Education Program
The Fauntleroy Watershed Council welcomes
any teacher, home-school parent, or youth leader to this classroom called
Fauntleroy Creek. Whether you're interested in a one-time field trip or an
ongoing partnership, your only cost is getting here.
Thanks to a combination of grants, private
donations, and volunteer effort, we are able to provide
- a "cafeteria" of learning
activities for various ages and objectives
- all equipment and supplies for these
activities, including advance or take-home materials as
available
- on-site volunteer leadership
- ideas and support for service-learning
and research projects in the watershed, including assistance in
identifying potential funding sources.
- The flexibility to tailor activities to
specific needs or, if a field trip isn't possible, to bring an
appropriate presentation to your classroom.
To schedule, contact us at least three
weeks prior to your preferred field-trip date. If you haven't been here
before, we ask that you arrange to come ahead of time to get acquainted
with the site.
If you select a self-guided activity,
please let us know. We keep a record of how many students use this
classroom every year, plus we can tell you when other groups are already
scheduled.
For questions or to schedule, contact Judy
Pickens at 206-938-4203 or
judy_pickens@msn.com.
Learning Venues in the Watershed
| Venue |
Description |
Facilities |
Accessibility |
| Fauntleroy Park |
The diverse
ecosystem of this 28-acre wooded park provides many learning
opportunities for closely supervised classes, including field
trips, service-learning work parties, and research projects. |
Emergency
restrooms at nearby YMCA. |
A
gravel/dirt trail from the S.W. Barton St. entrance provides level
access to the first crossing of Fauntleroy Creek. A student using
a manual wheelchair may need assistance. |
| Lower Creek |
Riparian habitat at the
fish ladder and spawning channel provides a diverse, confined
study area that includes salmon art at the ladder viewpoint.
Homeowners provide access to the creek and facilities. |
Patio
seating for activities and lunch or snack; toilet and water. |
A grassy
slope provides no-stairs access to gravel paths and grassy areas
along the creek. A student using a manual wheelchair will need
assistance. |
| Captain's Park |
This patch of green
bluff across from the ferry terminal offers a sweeping view of
Fauntleroy Cove. |
Group
seating on the grass |
Level
entrance is off quiet, paved street. |
| Cove Park |
This pocket
park in Fauntleroy Cove provides access to beach habitat and
public art recalling Coast Salish culture. |
Group
seating on drift logs |
Sloped
entrance to paved surface and log-strewn, sandy beach; marked
crosswalk on arterial. Ask about no-stairs access or drop-off at
park |
Safety
By its nature, a field trip to Fauntleroy
Creek entails being around the water and, if you go to Fauntleroy Park,
being in the woods. To help students exercise due caution, we ask that
you
- brief students on what conditions they
can expect and what to wear.
- secure parent/guardian permission
slips.
- enlist enough adults for student age,
number, and special needs. Ensure that each student with a
learning/cognitive disability or physical limitation has an adult
partner.
- bring a first-aid kit.
- establish and maintain behaviors that
respect all participants and the environment.
Getting Here
Parent carpools, school buses, and Metro
are all transportation options. Also, our program is an approved
destination for King County's Wheels to Water bus and for field trips
included in Seattle's Salmon in the Schools program. A map with driving
directions is posted at www.fauntleroy.net/
creek/creekdirections.htm
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