Perched above the Duwamish River…

…in the urban heart of the industrial Duwamish River Valley, The Heron’s Nest strives to provide safe outdoor facilities allowing space for people of the community to come together, share, learn and grow

They now own less than an acre of land in Seattle and have been unfairly stripped of their federal recognition. Despite being the first signatories of the Treaty of Point Elliott in 1855, the federal government has consistently failed to honor its commitments to the tribe.

The Heron’s Nest Project began in the summer of 2020, when members from the Shared Spaces Foundation—a community nonprofit rooted in the Duwamish River Valley—happened upon a dilapidated parcel for sale near The Duwamish Longhouse. Through discussions with surrounding community organizations, members and tribal services The Heron’s Nest Project developed into an idea towards a shared, brighter future and work began to clean up the land.

Shared Spaces is currently leasing the 3.56-acre parcel adjacent to the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center in West Seattle. We are collectively working to repurpose and renovate facilities for community use while raising funds to purchase the land in order to steward and repatriate it to The Duwamish Tribe.

With more land to grow native plants and food, rebuild community, practice cultural traditions, and teach youth lasting skills, the Duwamish can reclaim some of the power that was unjustly taken from them by colonial oppressors.  A trail interconnecting The Duwamish Longhouse and The Heron’s Nest is available for access on land stewardship days. 

The Heron’s Nest project aims not only to empower the Duwamish Tribe, but offer assistance in awareness around their recognition. This project relies on the blessing and guidance of Duwamish Tribal Services. Our proposal has been thoroughly vetted and approved by tribal leadership.

As of today, we are partnered with 20 local organizations that plan to make use of the Heron’s Nest facilities. Partners like The West Seattle Tool Library and Dirt Corps will utilize to use the classrooms to empower underrepresented communities and increase their access to green jobs.  Once the land begins to heal from years of misuse it will again become a place for the Duwamish and surrounding communities to flourish in.