Originally posted on Union Bay Watch, October 9, 2021

When I was young, my Uncle taught me to hunt, fish, and enjoy nature. Later in life, I heard and assimilated the aspirational phrase, “Take only photos, leave only footsteps”. This goal may still be appropriate in a National Park. However, due to the volume of daily visitors at the Union Bay Natural Area (UBNA) even footsteps need to be limited to the approved gravel trails.

I found the following email, from David Zuckerman at UW Botanic Gardens, a wake up call that explained the current situation.

Dear Larry,

I’m reaching out to inform you that we’re replanting once again along Union Bay Natural Area (UBNA) shoreline and would appreciate spreading the word that birders and others need to heed the signs and stay out of fenced areas so as not to trample the plants to provide them time needed to establish. The gravel loop trail is the only formal path in UBNA established for the visiting public to enjoy the vast public amenity UBNA is. All other paths are social and negatively impact vegetation and wildlife creating voids for invasive and noxious weeds to gain an easy foothold. And, as you are aware, shorebird habitat, i.e. mud flats, will be maintained along the Central pond corridors as negotiated with WSDOT. The vast majority of the new plants going in along the shoreline are forbs and graminoids…these will only enhance shorebird habitat if they have a chance to take hold.

Remember, fencing is temporary and will be removed once plants have had a chance to root in.

Thank you for understanding and supporting this important UBNA restoration project.

David

The email included the following three graphics.