Seahurst Park to close Monday to repair landslide damage from 2014

The landslide happened in 2014 on the south side of SW Seahurst Park Road.

The City said that 21 alder and bigleaf maple trees will be cut to provide clearance for equipment involved in repairing the slide.

The equipment will be used to pound in large piles to create a wall, and will require approximately 70 feet of clearance to operate.

“These trees are overhanging the work zone and have small amounts of canopy, which is typical of trees growing in a forested environment with limited sunlight,” the City said. “Due to the trees leaning over the road and small amounts of live canopy, pruning for clearance would result in little to no live canopy remaining on the trees. The extent of pruning required would result in possible decay, decline, and maintenance concerns for the trees, making removal of these trees a better longterm option. The trees being removed are shorter-lived tree species in fair-to-good condition. Many of these trees are reaching maturity and may start to decline in the coming years.”

The City said that trees will be cut at approximately five feet above the ground to help maintain slope stability and provide wildlife habitat. The trees will likely sprout near the base, helping to keep the roots alive and helping maintain slope stability while workers restore the site.

“All trees that are being removed to accommodate the work will be replaced with a mix of longer-lived evergreens typically found in the Puget Sound region and understory plants. The mix of trees will improve ecological function over time. Since evergreen trees maintain their leaves all year, they are better at slowing stormwater and cleaning our air. Overall, this provides us with an opportunity to improve the work site safety while restoring the area with longer-lived evergreens and increase tree diversity along the Seahurst entryway.”

SW Seahurst Park Road will have intermittent closures and be limited to one lane for the duration of the project. Access to the park and the lower lot will still be available.