Tips to recreate responsibly
 As community members and outdoor lovers, we understand this is a confusing time. King County Parks has partnered with outdoor organizations such as REI, Washington Trails Association, Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance and more to share how to recreate responsibly.
Check out the #RecreateResponsibly Coalition's guidelines for getting outside during COVID-19 and visit our site for details specific to our lands.
Know before you go – Check the status of the place you want to visit. If it is closed, don’t go. If it’s crowded, have a Plan B.
Practice physical distancing – Adventure only with your immediate household. Be prepared to cover your nose and mouth and give others space. If you are sick, stay home. Communicate who will step aside on the trail (trail etiquette gives hikers coming uphill the right of way).
Stay close to home – This is not the time to travel long distances to recreate. Most place are only open for day use.
Plan ahead – Prepare for facilities to be closed, pack lunch and add hand sanitizer and a face covering to your 10 Essentials.
Play it safe – Slow down and choose lower-rick activities to reduce you risk of injury. Search and rescue operations and health care resources are both strained.
Leave no trace – Respect public lands and communities and take all garbage with you, including disposable face masks and gloves.
Deadline is today to fill out the DNRP survey on how COVID-19 is affecting your work environment
During this time of rapid change due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we want to know how to best support your health, safety and well-being as they relate to your work. Understanding your current work environment and any uncertainty you may face – everything from technology and equipment, to safety issues and stress management – will help us focus our efforts.
To get your feedback, we’re launching a short survey today, May 14. It takes no more than three minutes to four minutes to complete. You can either complete the survey on your mobile phone or on a desktop computer.
You can find the survey at https://bit.ly/dnrpremployeesurvey or scan the QR code (below) with the camera on your smart phone.
Deadline is today to fill out DNRP Covid-19 survey!
The survey is anonymous. We’ll ask you a series of questions to help us take follow-up action based on your feedback, but it won’t be possible to identify any individual responses.
We’ll share the results and assess where there are common points that DNRP may be able to address quickly, and also use them to guide action planning and our thinking about work programs during this time.
We appreciate your open and honest feedback so that we can make meaningful and impactful adjustments as the COVID-19 situation evolves.
Please fill out the survey right away -- full participation gives us better feedback to act on.
Thank you for all you are doing for the residents of King County on behalf of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks.
River safety reminder
For people heading outdoors as the weather gets warmer, we cannot emphasize enough the importance of using extra caution and wearing a life jacket near King County rivers at this time. Underscoring just how dangerous our swift and icy cold rivers are right now, three people have lost their lives in King County rivers in less than a week's time -- two in the Green River and one in the White River.
This photo is from a King County Sheriff's Office Marine Rescue Dive Unit training. It underscores that even the strongest swimmers can become incapacitated from cold-water shock after just a few minutes in the water. What's more, King County rivers – already running swift and high from mountain snowpack run-off -- experienced several large floods over the winter, moving wood and rocks, and undercutting riverbanks. Favorite boating areas or your favorite swimming hole from a year ago could be much more dangerous places this spring with high water and unexpected hazards. Recreate Responsibly!
www.kingcounty.gov/riversafety
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Innovation at recycling and transfer stations in response to COVID-19
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In addition to staggered entry at recycling and transfer stations, King County Solid Waste Division installed plexiglass barriers at Scale Houses to improve safety. Scale operators also use nets and gloves to collect payment, reducing person-to-person contact. |
DNRP in the news
Masks and gloves getting flushed down toilets, clogging King County pipes
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Sewer pipes and pumping stations are still being clogged daily by things that do not belong in the waste water. That includes wipes, diapers, hygiene products, and now, personal protective equipment.
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Help eradicate Scotch broom, the pretty pest lining WA highways
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Scotch broom usually grows between 3 and 10 feet high, and is distinguishable each May by its bright yellow flowers. It can cause allergy flare-ups, take over pastures and increase wildfire risk because it’s highly flammable. It also displaces native forests and replaces more nutritious plants animals rely on. |
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