Scenic Seattle

Ever been in a city and wished you could escape from the concrete blocks? In one Pacific Northwest town, you can.

Seattle is making it easier for locals and visitors to find some green space in the heart of the metropolis. The Seattle Urban Nature interactive habitat map uses a Google map interface to show all public parks, habitat types, and plant species found in the Seattle metro area (for the record, there are many: over 400 parks and nine city gardens in all).

But the map goes beyond lounging and lunch spots, offering nature seeking Seattleites the option to click

on a location to find out what flora species are in that area. Or, you can click on "All Species" and select your favorite bloom, from bamboo to bearberry to piggyback plant

(which, by the way, can be found in Magnolia Bluff). The map will show you where you can find that species in the greater Seattle area.

Seattle Urban Nature made the map to demonstrate the value of having forests in city-spaces. They help to keep the air clean from soot and dust, prevent erosion and stormwater runoff, reduce noise pollution, and as an added bonus, their presence alone helps raise housing prices by 15 percent. And to think, you just wanted to find some shade. 

Now all the Emerald City needs is an interactive coffee map, and the outdoor-loving, caffeine-addicted city would be set for life. (Our Seattle staffers can attest to that.)

Photo: Bradley Swain