It’s a warm and sunny day on Rattlesnake Ledge, and a group of hikers rests while it enjoys a well-earned view. As the party eats lunch, the conversation flits back and forth between Spanish and English. Afterwards the hike’s organizer, Michelle Piñon, unfurls a banner from her backpack. The hikers crowd around it, displaying their name for the flocks of other visitors to read: “Latino Outdoors.”
On June 17th, Education Specialists Sasha Shaw and Nate Dolton-Thornton joined members of Seattle’s Latino Outdoors community for a hike to Rattlesnake Ledge. As they walked, Sasha and Nate identified native and invasive plants in both Spanish and English, describing the plants’ roles in the ecosystem and tips for remembering them. The group represented a variety of ages and backgrounds, but they all shared a love of the outdoors. By the hike’s end everyone was tired but happy—and ready for the pan dulce waiting in the car.
Interested in organizing a Spanish- and/or English-language plant identification hike with the King County Noxious Weed Control Program? Email ndolton-thornton@kingcounty.gov or call (206) 218-3343.
If you’d like to learn more about Latino Outdoors and how to get involved, email Michelle Piñon or join the Latino Outdoors Washington facebook group.
