Work Parties

How can you have fun, meet others, gain new skills, enjoy fresh air, and participate hands-on in an important cause?
Volunteer for a few hours in a WMTP work party!

No special skills, fitness, or gear from you are required! We’ll show you how to do everything and provide all the tools and support needed. Working safely and comfortably as a flexible group, the work is always fun and satisfying!
Family members (elementary age or older) and friends can come too — and often do! (Participants under age 14 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian… see our Work Party FAQs.) Usually, we have 20-25 people per event — a “just right” size.

Ready to sign up with us? All it takes is one or two easy steps below:

Step 1: New to WMTP Work Parties?

Fill out this one-time registration form. We’ll send an occasional email notifying you of our new work party dates — you’ll get first dibs at those!

Step 2: Already registered above?

Then click any box below for a specific work party date to attend. After you submit the brief form that will appear, you’ll receive an auto-reply email confirming your submittal. (Check your Spam folder, if necessary.) Please be sure to add the date and time to your calendar!
Then no later than two days before the work party, you’ll receive a reminder email with further details (parking, exact location, any changes, etc.). Meanwhile, If you have questions or didn’t receive either email, please contact us ASAP. Thanks!

Please contact us at volunteering@whatcommilliontrees.org before you sign up.

  • For groups of 10-15 members, please give us at least three weeks’ advance notice for the event you wish to attend together to ensure there will be sufficient space and supplies.
  • For groups of 16+ members participating, we may be able to coordinate a dedicated work party just for your team! Please give us at least six weeks’ advance notice ahead of when you wish to hold the event (eight weeks minimum for any event you wish to happen in April — Earth Day events are always in high demand).
  • For youth/student groups, please have a faculty sponsor or adult facilitator from the group contact us to coordinate. (If the coordination/communication piece is part of an assignment to gain leadership experience for an individual student or group of students, please let us know. We will still require an adult contact as back-up, and extra lead time to support effective planning and communication.)
  • For younger groups of youth (8-14 yrs of age), at least one adult chaperone per five youths is required to attend with the group. WMTP is not responsible for child supervision.
  • Liability waivers: Every adult must individually sign WMTP’s liability waiver for themselves before the event, and the event coordinator from your group is responsible for ensuring its distribution and providing reminders as needed. Each youth in attendance must have the youth liability waiver/consent form signed for them by a legal guardian.
  • Work parties are a wonderful, positive team-building experience and we’re delighted to host large groups, but they do involve some extra coordinating and communication. Thank you for reading and following these guidelines to help us best support your team’s success!

Saturday, March 15th 2025, 12-3PM: Understory Planting at WHS

From 2023-2024, volunteers planted hundreds of baby trees in a former hayfield by Whatcom Humane Society’s Wildlife Rehab Center. It’s major progress on a future forest, but healthy forests require a diverse mix of plants, not just trees!

Join us and the Koma Kulshan chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society (WNPS) for the next stage of this exciting reforestation project — weaving a thriving understory of native shrubs and ground cover in among the growing tree seedlings!

Accessibility: Moderate

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Sunday, March 16th 2025, 12-3PM: Tree & Shrub Seedling Potting at NSEA

Saturday, April 26, 2025, 12-3PM: Barkley Village Miyawaki Mini-Forest Planting!

Join us to help plant Bellingham’s second urban mini-forest using the Miyawaki Method! With your help, we’ll be planting a range of carefully-selected native species, from understory groundcover and shrubs to tree seedlings, in a small area (~1/7 acre!) adjacent to the Scramble Nature Playpark.

Funds for this project were provided by the State of Washington Department of Natural Resources Urban and Community Forestry Program.

Accessibility: Easy

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Saturday, May 3rd, 2025, 12-3PM: Barkley Village Miyawaki Mini-Forest Planting!

Join us to help wrap up planting Bellingham’s second urban mini-forest using the Miyawaki Method! With your help, we’ll be completing the planting, mulching, and fencing from the prior weekend, ensuring all seedlings are set up for success and ready to make the most of the growing season.

Funds for this project were provided by the State of Washington Department of Natural Resources Urban and Community Forestry Program.

Accessibility: Easy

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Coming soon…

More work parties will be added periodically to this page — subscribe to our free monthly e-newsletter to get the earliest scoop on our updates!

Please spread the word if you know anyone else who may like to attend one of our fun upcoming work parties! Thanks!


Work Party FAQs

Q: When will I receive further details about the work party I signed up for?
A: Details such as the work party’s exact location, parking details, etc. will be emailed to registered participants no later than two days before the work party. If you don’t see that email by then, please contact us ASAP.
Q: What if I need to cancel?
A: If you signed up, please show up! But if you need to cancel for some unforeseen reason, that’s okay — just please let us know ASAP by email.
Q: Do youth who want to attend have special requirements?
A: For kids 8-14, a waiver must be signed for each youth by a legal guardian, and they must be accompanied and closely supervised by a legal adult. Youth 15-17 years old may attend without a parent or guardian as long as they have the signed waiver! Youth will not be allowed to participate without the signed waiver. Please request the waiver in your registration form if needed.
Q: What should I wear and bring to a work party?
A: Please wear sturdy closed-toed shoes, long pants, and weather-appropriate clothing. Bring a water bottle and favorite gloves if you have your own.
Q: What is WMTP’s work party focus?
A: It depends on the time of year. Tree seedlings are best planted in dormant (cold) months. So our work parties from late November through end of March tend to be focused on that. The remainder of the year our work parties maintain existing planting sites or remove invasive English ivy to save mature trees.
Q: Can businesses hold an employee work-party with WMTP?
A: Yes, we love doing that! Please consider an Employee Team-Building Work Party with us! We’ll handle the planning/logistics and support everyone at the event. The fun, satisfying work and team-building can have a terrific positive impact on your colleagues!

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