We have indefinitely suspended future work parties, due to lack of neighborhood interest. We long time volunteers continue to work in the woods on our own schedule. The good news: Madrona Woods is mostly restored, needs relatively little maintenance, and is currently at risk only due to vandalism, that is, people who are actively degrading the environment. Stopping that vandalism is impossible for us volunteers. For questions, contact volunteer forest steward Peter Mason 206-388-6490.
Past Scheduled Work Parties
Sat Sep 22, 2018 10 AM – 1 PM
More work in the lakeside natural area: either invasive removal or trail maintenance. Meet at Grand/Spring kiosk. Details and signup are here.
Sat Oct 27, 2018 10 AM – 1 PM
More work in the lakeside natural area: either invasive removal or trail maintenance. Meet at Grand/Spring kiosk.
Young and old enjoy volunteering with us.
Sat May 28 10 AM – 1 PM
We plan to remove some invasive Spanish bluebells, scilla hispanica, near 38th Ave. Mulch hauling, trail repair, and pruning are also possibilities. Detail and sign up here.
Oceanspray and mock orange in Madrona Woods
Sat Apr 23 10 AM – 1 PM
We plan to remove some invasive Spanish bluebells, scilla hispanica, near the Grand/Spring intersection. Mulch hauling and trail repair are also possibilities. Details and sign up here.
vanilla leaf in bloom
Sat Mar 26 CANCELLED!! The work party is cancelled due to the state Democratic caucuses.
Sat Feb 27 10 AM – 1 PM
Planting, invasive removal, and vandalism prevention in a flat area of the Woods.
Meet at the kiosk at 38th and Marion. Sign up here
Weds Feb 3, 2016 9 AM – 1 PM
We continue our assault on the blackberry on the steep slope above Lake Washington Blvd. Sign up here
Sat Jan 23 10 AM – 1 PM
Planting, invasive removal, and vandalism prevention in a flat area of the Woods.
Meet at the kiosk at 38th and Marion. Sign up here
Wednesday January 6, 2016 9 AM – 1 PM
New for 2016, we introduce “first Wednesdays” events. Meet at the dead end of 39th on the south side of the Woods. Details and signup here. Please note that we plan to work on relatively steep slopes.
December
There will be no work party in December. We will be back on the 4th Saturday in January, the 23rd. Also we plan to add one Wednesday (the first) a month, from 9 AM to 1 PM. Our first Madrona Woods Wednesday will be January 6. Once we get these events approved and in the Green Seattle Partnership online system, they will be listed here.
Saturday November 28 10 AM – 1 PM
We will be planting in the SE corner of the Woods. Meet at the dead end of 39th on the south side of the Woods. Details and signup here.
This month we consider group theory. My daughter recently asked me why anyone would ever want to study this accursed subject. 38 years ago I, for my part, thought it was one of the most wonderful subjects ever. These days, after trying to help her with her upper-division abstract algebra class, I’m not so sure.
Nevertheless, consider Cauchy’s Theorem: “If G is a finite group and p is a prime dividing the order of G, then G has an element of order p.” The simplicity of the sentence, in and of itself, is wonderful.
Saturday October 24 10 AM – 1 PM
We will be planting in the SE corner of the Woods. Meet at the dead end of 39th on the south side of the Woods. Details, directions, and signup are here.
This month’s fun math concept is Zorn’s Lemma. If it was due to Jim Zorn, former Seahawk great, Zorn’s Lemma might say something like “always throw to Steve Largent.” Instead the Zorn is Max August Zorn, and the lemma says: “Let X be a non-empty ordered set such that every non-empty chain in X has an upper bound in X. Then X has at least one maximal element.”
Zorn’s Lemma is equivalent to the Axiom of Choice. It can be used to show that every vector space has a basis. In other words, it is a math geek’s dream: great name, great implications, and just a hint of controversy due to its association with the Axiom of Choice.
Saturday September 26 10 AM – 1 PM
September means fall and we will start the planting season early this year. We will plant next to the lake in an area we cleared last spring, when it was already hot! We can plant early with confidence since we will bring water up from the lake to make sure the new plants have plenty of moisture. Meet at Grand/Spring, details here.
Instead of a math problem, this month I offer a tribute to one of the greatest mathematicians of the 20th Century, and hence one of the greatest ever: Emmy Noether. Her story is inspiring. And if you check out her intellectual development, she got more and more abstract as time went on. That’s math!
Saturday July 25 10 AM – 1 PM
Our July “fourth Saturday” work party is from 10:00 to 1:00 on July 25, 2015. Meet at 38th and Marion.
For details, directions, and signup, click here.
Math problem of the month: mnemonics for the expansion of pi.
August: There will be no Madrona Woods work party (and no math problem) in August.
Saturday June 27 10 AM – 1 PM
Our June “fourth Saturday” work party is from 10:00 to 1:00 on June 27, 2015. Meet at 38th and Marion.
For details, directions, and signup, click here
Math problem of the month: the Continuum Hypothesis.