Western red cedar trees and shrubs are pyramidal in form. The trees may grow up to 200 feet tall and 20 feet in circumference, measured above the strongly buttressed base. The cinnamon-red or brownish outer bark is relatively thin, fissured, and scaly, shedding in irregular flakes; the inner bark is fibrous. Short, horizontal, or slightly drooping branches bear dense branchlet systems in flattened sprays that appear bright green on the upper side and dark waxy green beneath. The tiny, pointed, scale-like leaves may have faint whitish patches on the undersurfaces. The egg-shaped or slightly elongated cones, 8 to 12 mm (0.3 to 0.5 inch) long, bear five to six pairs of thin flexible scales. Description from Britannica
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Gardeners can check out seeds for free from the library to plant. Then after harvest, gardeners bring seeds back to the library for others to enjoy in future growing seasons.

Get involved by sharing and mapping the birds, animals and nature around you to help the community understand the biodiversity in our neighborhood.

Take a virtual trip across Capitol Hill to learn about urban habitat types, how to identify the unique birds they support, and what we can do to make the neighborhood a safer place for them to live.

Protecting the trees and other vegetation that what we currently have is perhaps the most important way to ensure biodiversity in cities.

Look closer…and meet the local insects that pollinate the plants around your Seattle neighborhoods. Learn about some of our amazing native pollinating insects.

Some introduced plant species can diminish biodiversity. Other plants produce poisons that can harm wildlife. Learn what plants to avoid when figuring out what to plant or remove in your outdoor space.
Nature of Your Neighborhood is a collaboration between Birds Connect Seattle, the Capitol Hill EcoDistrict, and the Seattle Bird Conservation Partnership. Our goal is to foster relationships between the people and the nature of their neighborhoods.