The UW chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration was awarded the 2024 Husky Sustainability Award. The group was this year’s legacy winner. Founded in 2008, SER’s ecologically restorative work can be seen across campus. It hums along by the efforts of students, faculty, staff and volunteers who create welcome spaces for the public to enjoy. If you’ve ever visited and enjoyed Heron Haven, just north of Anderson Hall or Yesler Swamp, then you’ve laid eyes on some of the great restorative work by SER. Learn more about SER restoration sites here. 

We wanted to take a moment to thank all of SER’s volunteers, both past and present, and acknowledge those from the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences — we see you out there beautifying our spaces with native plants. 

Jon Bakker, SEFS Faculty 

Erik Ertsgaard, SER President and Haron Haven Site Manager 

Drew Blackwell, Monitoring

Joshua Kim, SEFS student 

Apollo Normet, SEFS student 

Gabriel Kennedy-Gibbens, SEFS student 

Wyatt Mojo, SEFS student 

Conor Zeutzius, SEFS student 

Kavya Rao, SEFS student 

Inthone Chao, SEFS student 

SER President, Erik Ertsgaard was able to give us a bit of insight into the work of SER students and volunteers. It’s important to mention here that this never ending project wouldn’t be possible without the many hands of SER volunteers as well as the generosity of the UW Campus Sustainability Fund who purchases native plants from the SER-UW Native Plant Nursery. 

Ertsgaard shared, “SER UW is honored to receive the Legacy in Sustainability Award, a recognition of our long fight to improve the biodiversity and human-nature relationships of this campus. Students over the last 16 years have devoted their free time to pulling invasive plants, planting natives, learning and endeavoring to broaden the club’s impacts. This award is a reflection of the work of many students past and present, and our work has been made possible through the support of UW Grounds, the Campus Sustainability Fund, the SER UW Nursery, and the SEFS community. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of our journey. Now please go out and enjoy the spaces we’ve been restoring!”

Read more about the 2024 UW Sustainability Awards and the winners here. 

Photos courtesy of Daimon Eklund, UW Sustainability Communications Manager