WEED WARRIORS

We Inspire Environmental Stewarship and Connect Kids to Nature

aka Nature Stewards / Native Habitat Restoration Coalition / Nature Stewards Program   |   Renton, WA   |  http://www.NatureStewardsWA.org

Mission

We promote environmental stewardship and inspire everyone to live in harmony with nature. Our stewardship projects connect kids to nature and restore a healthy balance to the environment by removing invasive weeds and planting native species plants.

Ruling year info

2014

President

Grace Stiller

Treasurer, Board Member

Tammy Coburn

Main address

Po Box 3455

Renton, WA 98056 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

80-0342794

NTEE code info

Natural Resource Conservation and Protection (C30)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

We address global warming issues with solutions for community and individual engagement, Promote and facilitate the implementation of sustainable gardening practices for both community gardens and city parks, address food insecurity issues by establishing community gardens and edible food forests, and restore native plant habitats to increase the bird, butterfly and bee populations in urban areas.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Nature Stewards offers workshops, projects and events. In workshops and projects, participants learn about invasive noxious weeds.

In workshops and projects, participants learn about invasive noxious weeds that wreak havoc to our environment, and experience "hands on” activities with weed removal and restoration plantings. Weed Warrior volunteers are students and adults from the community who participate in projects that positively affect the environmental health of our neighborhoods and our public areas. Events include meetings and forums on topics relating to environmental sustainability and living in harmony with nature, to the annual Earth Day event, our major educational outreach, celebrating environmental sustainability with other environmental non-profits and "green" businesses, offering entertainment and an awards ceremony for Earth Heroes from elementary schools.

Population(s) Served

This program encourages and facilitates volunteer stewardship of public places. Stabilized weed infestations are often large and economically unfeasible for cities and communities to control successfully without assistance from non-profit organizations like the Weed Warriors. Projects include invasive weed assessment, removal, and habitat restoration using native species plants and trees that stabilize the environment after the invasive weeds are removed.

Population(s) Served

This program develops advocacy for causes in support of the natural landscape and wildlife, and engages community volunteers to help shape local environmental policies and actions. We impart a an environmental code of chivalry that empowers and enables. We encourage everyone to get involved, and challenge all members of the community to become part of the solution to the invasive weed problem. Today’s Weed Warrior youths are tomorrow’s citizens, civic leaders, and environmental stewards of the next generation. Participants experience activities in their local community while learning what it means to be an environmental steward.

Population(s) Served

The program provides a framework to restore wildlife habitat and educates and engages community members while working to attain an steemed certification as a wildlife-friendly community.

Population(s) Served

Participants learn how to correctly plant a tree, facts about native trees and their function in the ecosystem. This is an opportunity for kids to give back to their community and help the environment. The event takes place in a public park or open space.

Population(s) Served

This is outdoor event is hosted by the Nature Stewards Program at a Native Wildlife Habitat in Newcastle, WA. Past events have been a full day of celebration with workshops and networking opportunities where other environmental non-profits and "green,” Eco-friendly businesses share their environmental sustainable practices and products. We plant trees, offer activities for kids and workshops on various topics related to the environment.
We have produced Newcastle Earth Day since 2008, focusing on the many ways to Steward the Planet.

Population(s) Served

Climate Outloud is a facilitated discussion about climate and what the youths and local organizations
are doing to secure a livable future. This program is currently in partnership with King County Library System, in the "Everybody’s Talking About It” series. "When everybody’s talking about it we can make a difference.” We’re discussing the youth’s court case against the federal government for not securing their future on a livable planet with reasonable carbon reduction targets.

Population(s) Served

Students discover the connection between art and nature with engaging activities in the classroom that inspire environmental stewardship and an appreciation for nature. Activities include various art and culture workshops ranging from crafts, collage, theater, music and video.

Population(s) Served

Participants learn about healthy garden environments that are beneficial to humans and wildlife, and experience hands-on activities and techniques for sustainable gardening. Our Sustainable Gardening workshops include topics like incorporating edible natives in your veggie and flower garden, using organic fertilizers, composting and worm bins. Participants have the opportunity to volunteer at local community gardens. They learn skills and principles that are relevant and can be used throughout their lives as environmental stewards and sustainable gardeners.

Population(s) Served

We host award ceremonies for students of elementary schools. Today’s youths are tomorrow’s leaders and environmental stewards. A connection to the environment while young helps youths shape positive engagement in their adult lives.

Population(s) Served

Youths of all ages experience fun, learning activities in the classroom and out of doors. Participants discover how a wetland works, where storm water goes, what lives below the water in Puget Sound, the life cycle of the salmon, native plants and noxious weeds, and more…. Activities include learning about the life cycle of the Pacific Northwest Salmon, gardening, building a butterfly or bird habitat, learning about electric vehicles, having fun with crafts, art, music, and theater.

Population(s) Served

Volunteers rescue plants from demolition in areas slated for development, transplanting to parks and backyard habitats. Many beautiful native plants can be up-cycled to our nursery and used in our "Boots on the Ground” restoration, Rain Garden projects, and fundraisers.

Population(s) Served

Where we work

Affiliations & memberships

National Wildlife Federation 2012

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

We are passionate about advocating for communities living in a healthy environment, in harmony with nature, as stewards of earth's finite resources - air, land, and water. Our goal is to inspire everyone to understand the need for conservation, the best use and sustainable use of of natural resources, and to become an environmental steward, especially in local neighborhoods. We believe contributing locally makes a difference globally. Our program reaches peoples in neighborhoods of diverse cultures by involving them in projects and with the opportunity to plan, implement and manage community projects. Environment health, social equity, stewardship of public places and resources, economic prosperity are all goals of a sustainable community. We believe the connecting people to nature through local stewardship creates a sustainable community for future generations.

Our Weed Warrior Program Strategy includes implementing the following programs and projects that connect people to their local resources, such public parks, trails and open spaces. Here are the programs that enable us to achieve our goal of promoting environmental stewardship:

"Nature Stewards" Program connect people to nature.
Participants learn what it means to become an environmental steward. They learn about native plants and invasive noxious weeds that wreak havoc to our environment, experience “hands on" activities in community parks and gardens, learn how to build a rain garden to mitigate storm water runoff, how to establish a wildlife friendly backyard, courtyard or balcony, and more. Volunteers are students and adults from the community who participate in projects that positively affect the environmental health of our neighborhoods and our public areas. Meetings and forums include topics relating to environmental sustainability and living in harmony with nature. Events include an Earth Day event and tree planting events. We provide vegetable garden plant starts for home gardens, educational outreaches to schools, an awards ceremony for Earth Heroes from elementary schools. All to engage and inspire environmental stewardship.

"Boots on the Ground" projects offer the opportunity to get your gloves and boots dirty.
These projects include invasive weed assessment, removal, and habitat restoration with native species plants and trees that stabilize and bring a healthy balance to the environment. The Weed Warrior program encourages and facilitates volunteer stewardship of public places. We provide the tools and the gloves, expertise and training. Stabilized weed infestations are often large and economically unfeasible for cities and communities to control successfully without assistance from non-profit organizations like us that offer engaging "boots on the ground" projects.

"Knights of the Living Forest" program develops responsibility for the natural landscape.
Participants learn about stewardship and chivalry and how it pertains to the environment. The program empowers community volunteers to help shape the environmental health of their public places.

"Living in Harmony with Nature" is just what it implies.
This program encourages the use of native plants in landscapes to support wildlife. Participants learn what it means to live in harmony with nature, and why it's important to plant native plants and trees that provide food and shelter for wildlife, like birds, butterflies and bees. We encourage everyone to get involved, and inspire communities to become a "Wildlife Habitat Community." Today's youths are tomorrow's citizens, civic leaders, and nature stewards of the next generation. The program invites all ages to participate in the projects, events, and meetings.

Though our collaborations with partners in the non-profit and business sectors, we have accomplished much.
We launched our first project in February of 2008 with the massive ivy removal and habitat restoration of the Newcastle Historical Cemetery. Since 2008, volunteers have removed various species of invasive noxious weeds in many locations, reaching over an impressive amount of volunteer time totaling a 24266.76 hours through December of 2019. The benefits of our weed control and restoration projects are priceless, since the projects relieve the burden of the local jurisdictions. If a price could be put a value of the total volunteer service hours, this would total $676,366.86, thanks to many volunteers and our dedicated board of directors.

We have grown in leaps and bounds since we launched in 2008. Will you partner with us to do even more?
Our future plans include more video recording of projects, instructional workshops available on our website and through the use of social media to reach a larger audience about the importance of environmental stewardship.

Financials

WEED WARRIORS
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

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WEED WARRIORS

Board of directors
as of 03/24/2020
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board co-chair

Grace Stiller


Board co-chair

Monica LeFever

Coleen Militich

Monica LaFever

Rick Bell

Grace Stiller

Tammy Coburn

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes