Earth Sanctuary: A Nature Reserve, Meditation Parkland and Sculpture Garden

Palm Tree at Earth Sanctuary

At Earth Sanctuary, we have a 500 year plan to return the property to mature old growth forest. 

What trees should we plant with 500 years in mind?  The problem is complicated by the fact that at Earth Sanctuary, we have seen much longer periods between summer rain in past 10 years.  Last summer, we didn’t get any rain for 2 months and then the rain was only about 1/10″.  This makes it hard for a lot of plants and trees to survive.  The trees that are surviving are the drought tolerant trees such as pines and trees from California like Sequoias. 

A few years ago I asked some biologists what they expected the climate to be like in 500 years and they said: “Imagine parrots.”  So, we are getting ready for those future parrots.  We have just planted two Palm trees in the Earth Sanctuary arboretum as a symbol of climate change and our potential future climate.

The just-planted Ava Pettis Sequoia

For Christmas I got a small Sequoia tree from my daughter-in-law Kat and son Morgan.  Morgan is going to make a sign to go beside it: The Ava Pettis Sequoia Tree, named for my granddaughter.  Hopefully Ava will be able to watch it grow to ~100 feet in her lifetime.  The new Sequoia is now planted at the top of the Celestial trail in the new Earth Sanctuary arboretum beside a boulder cairn.  Sequoias seem to do really well at Earth Sanctuary and we are planting more of them this year.  -Chuck Pettis

Earth Sanctuary was featured in a nice article in Change Magazine.

Hooded Merganser and Chicks

On Thursday, July 23, at 8:58am PDT, with an Earth Sanctuary dawn bird chorus in the background, you can hear my BirdNote radio interview on KPLU 88.5 FM.  See www.birdnote.org for more info.

Spring has arrived at Earth Sanctuary (www.earthsanctuary.org)!  The flowers are blooming.  The birds are breeding and the beavers are definitely busy! 

The last volunteer day was a wonderful success.  Great people and camaraderie.

If you are interested, we will have another volunteer day on Saturday, May 16.  Here’s what we need help on:

• Fence Western Red Cedars (beaver protection!)
• Transfer some maple trees into a shaded and fenced area
• Help stack and store unused fencing and poles
• Possible weeding and watering
• Remove drip watering in Sequoia/Western Red Cedar grove by shed
• Cut invasive English Holly and paint stump with Roundup
• Put mulch on some very wet areas of the path
• Other??

We will meet at 9:00 am on Saturday, May 16 by the shed on the East side of Earth Sanctuary.  Coming from the Mukilteo-Clinton ferry, turn right at Newman road and go about 3/10’s of a mile.  The East entrance (a small driveway) is about 100 yards on the right past Emil Road and the Earth Sanctuary Retreat House.  Link to approximate location of driveway into shed: http://tinyurl.com/cqxnrz   

People who put in 5 hours of volunteer time will get an Annual Pass to Earth Sanctuary, enabling them to visit Earth Sanctuary free for the next year.  I will also provide sandwiches and water/soft drinks for lunch.  And, for those interested, I will give a tour of Earth Sanctuary in the mid to late afternoon.

Please RSVP to Chuck Pettis at cpettis@earthsanctuary.org

Questions? Email or call me!  Thank you very much!

Chuck Pettis
Earth Sanctuary
cpettis@earthsanctuary.org
www.earthsanctuary.org
360-331-6667

Spring has arrived at Earth Sanctuary.   The osprey are back.  Everything is looking good and the land is peaceful.

Earth Sanctuary is competing for the Evening Magazine  ”Best of Western Washington” Girls Weekend Destination. Please vote for us here - http://ow.ly/1HK4

Here is a moving blog from a woman working through the sorrow of  her mother’s death and a brief story of her visit to Earth Sanctuary.  Click here to read.