Building on new Executive Order to preserve mature trees, the nursery will help grow the next generation of Seattle’s urban forest
Mayor Bruce Harrell joined Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) General Manager and CEO Andrew Lee and community members to celebrate the opening of a new City-owned tree nursery located in the Crown Hill neighborhood.
The nursery, named Cedar City, will hold up to 1,000 trees annually that will be used for the City’s planting programs, primarily SPU’s Trees for Neighborhoods program. This popular program gives residents free trees to plant in their yards and along the street to increase urban canopy and provides technical support, training, and supplies to help young get established. Since 2009, the program has planted over 15,400 trees with an 88% ten-year survival rate.
“The opening of the Cedar City tree nursery marks an important milestone for our work to build a healthier, greener, and more sustainable Seattle for generations to come,” said Mayor Harrell. “By nurturing trees from the ground up, this nursery is a new resource in our citywide planting efforts to reach our ambitious canopy goals and will help create cleaner air and cooler neighborhoods. With new partnerships with schools and local organizations to expand job training opportunities for youth in the green economy, this space represents our community-centered vision for sustainability, environmental stewardship, and equity.”
The young trees cultivated at the nursery will be native species or climate-adapted to the Pacific Northwest, including large evergreen trees emblematic of the Emerald City and smaller stature trees that fit into an urban context, such as under powerlines. This will support biodiversity, climate resilience, water quality, salmon habitat, and pest and disease resistance in Seattle’s tree canopy and urban forest.
Cedar City will also have a partnership with Ballard High School’s Career and Technical Education and horticulture programs, providing hands-on learning and job skills training for students interested in urban forestry and horticulture. The Cedar City name was chosen by students at Ballard High School to reflect the importance of cedar trees as a culturally, historically, and environmentally significant part of Seattle’s urban forest.
SPU will also be partnering with EarthCorps, which provides young leaders in the environmental field with on-the-job training in tree care and nursery operations.
“With our new Cedar City facility, Seattle Public Utilities is putting down roots along Pipers Creek—strengthening our commitment to both the environment and our tree-loving community,” said Andrew Lee, General Manager and CEO, Seattle Public Utilities. “We’re excited to continue supporting property owners as they plant trees to help manage stormwater, enhance habitat, combat climate change, and promote public health.”
The nursery opens during Seattle Forest Week, an annual celebration of the critical role Seattle’s urban forest and trees play in our community. The week includes an Arbor Day planting event on November 1 where volunteers will plant trees along the Chief Sealth Trail.
The opening of the nursery represents a milestone for the City’s efforts to equitably expand tree canopy cover. Other efforts include the creation of the One Seattle Tree Plan to replace trees on public property on a 3-to-1 ratio; utilizing a $12.9 million grant to plant more trees in under-canopied neighborhoods; and expanding the Trees for Neighborhoods program to educate and support new homeowners in maintaining trees planted during the development of their homes.
Earlier this month, Mayor Harrell signed an Executive Order directing City departments to develop and implement policy and regulatory changes to encourage the preservation of mature trees on private property. This includes developing a new conservation easement incentive program, which is supported by investments in the mayor’s proposed 2026 budget.
What People Are Saying:
Michelle Caulfield, Interim Director, Office of Sustainability and Environment
“Trees are vital to the health and resilience of our communities — from improving air quality and reducing extreme heat in urban areas, to enhancing the vitality of our business districts and community spaces. The Cedar City tree nursery is a truly groundbreaking next step in Seattle’s commitment to working with partners and residents to increase trees across our city that can thrive in a changing climate and benefit future generations.”
Christine Tang, Executive Director, EarthCorps
“This new space embodies the EarthCorps vision of people and nature thriving together. Partnering with Seattle Public Utilities at the Cedar City nursery helps us advance our mission to work in partnership toward environmental justice—creating opportunities for hands-on skills building in tree care fields. Every tree planted in Seattle is an investment in community and climate resilience, a promise of cooler neighborhoods in summertime, cleaner air, and a healthier future for all.”
Becky Howsmon and India Carlson, Ballard High School Teachers
“Partnering with Seattle Public Utilities and the Trees for Neighborhoods program provides exciting opportunities for our students to get real-world, hands-on experience in urban forestry careers. We look forward to exploring with our students the connections between trees, clean water, and public health.”