Titlow Lagoon restoration project moving forward thanks to BNSF Railway Foundation

BNSF Railway Foundation has awarded the South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group (SPSSEG) a $25,000 grant for the Titlow Lagoon Restoration Project near Tacoma, Washington.

These funds will be used to investigate lagoon hydrology, fill removal, salt marsh potential, design riparian buffers, and restore emergent wetlands. Located within a Metro Parks Tacoma owned park, the area is popular and well used throughout the year. There are walking trails around the lagoon and along Puget Sound, basketball courts, grass areas, and a spray park. The project will benefit the community as well as the environment and fisheries. And an earlier phase of the project has already been completed. A derelict seawall, armor, and bulkhead has been removed from the shoreline of Puget Sound.

BNSF helps to preserve Lake Serene Trail

With help from BNSF Railway Foundation, a goal of $275,000 was met to help protect the Lake Serene Trail in Washington state. A lower section of the beloved trail that is privately owned was scheduled to be logged this fall, so a fundraising effort began to buy the 190-acre property. Over 600 hikers and climbers also contributed to the campaign which will now ensure the trail will be accessible to all people for a long time to come.

BNSF Railway Foundation partners with Treehouse for Kids

BNSF Railway Foundation is proud of its partnership with Treehouse for Kids. With a goal to have King County youth in foster care graduate high school at the same rate as their peers by 2017, Treehouse has exceeded that goal and now their youth have a 5-year graduation rate of 89%, which is 7% higher than the general population.

Other highlights of the program include:

  • An expanded Graduation Success program into Spokane and the Tacoma School Districts. They plan to continue to expand into eight additional school districts this coming school year.
  • A recently launched Career Readiness Model which provides students with more access to career resources and job-shadow opportunities. By the end of this school year, 56% of their seniors had a job or paid internship, compared to 35% at the end of the last school year.