- 1956 – Kiwanis club donated 7-1/2 acres in Kiwanis Ravine to Seattle as a park to be preserved in its natural beauty.
- 1969 – The Magnolia Community Club stopped dumping of fill into the Ravine.
- 1984-1991 – Friends of Discovery Park (Friends) stopped placement of electric service vault in Ravine to protect herons and the wildlife corridor.
- 1991 – 1996 – Brygger Drive Alliance fought development adjacent to Park (MUP’s 9808694 and 9007431) that slipped after record ’96 rainfall. Lawsuit settlement cost builders’ insurance company the remainder of four mortgages, and the City of Seattle $135,000. The Alliance also challenged MUP 9006232, and the applicant was required to plant a native vegetation buffer and establish a setback to prevent encroaching on the Ravine.
- 1992-1993 – Friends collected $763,540 from State WWRP, King County Seattle SPIF, and Metro Community Funds to assist City in purchasing additional property on Ravine. Friends was supported by 28 groups and civic officials.
- 1998 – City purchased land and erected sign on 36th Ave. West and Ohman.
- 2001 – Heron Habitat committee established by Friends of Discovery Park with Donna Kostka and Heidi Carpine as leads. Pre-cursor of independent organization, Heron Habitat Helpers, established later in the year.
February 2001 – HHH was founded in by Heidi Carpine and Donna Kostka, who thought that the building of a proposed street near a local heron colony in Kiwanis Ravine would jeopardize the nests.- 2003 – HHH completed the Kiwanis Ravine Management and Monitoring Plan (KRMMP) with approval by Seattle Parks and began its first heron habitat restoration project.
- 2003 – HHH worked with Seattle Audubon Society to have the Great Blue Heron declared Seattle’s “Official City Bird.”
- 2003 – Pam Cahn began monitoring the Kiwanis Ravine Great Blue Heron Colony and provided data to WA Department of Fish & Wildlife.
- 2007 – HHH advocated for the Director’s rule 5-2007, passed to protect heron nesting, and in 2008, successfully advocated for inclusion of $600,000 in the budget for the Parks and Green Spaces Levy to provide City funding for Kiwanis Ravine habitat restoration.
- 2010 – HHH received the Denny Award (Seattle Parks’ highest conservation award)
- 2010 – Kiwanis Ravine was designated Seattle’s first Wildlife Sanctuary by Seattle Parks.
- May 2013 – due to extreme eagle predation, the Kiwanis Ravine heron colony moved to Commodore Park.
- 2014 and 2015 – Herons raised 100 + fledglings each year at Commodore Park. See Great Blue Heron Colony Reports under Other Documents of Interest.
- 2015 – HHH advocated for shoreline restoration and wetlands expansion at Smith Cove Park.
- May 2017 – Heron Habitat Helpers worked with the City of Seattle, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Washington Audubon to designate Seattle a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Urban Bird Treaty City. The Urban Bird Treaty recognizes the importance of protecting urban bird habitat, reducing hazards to migrating birds and providing opportunities for citizen engagement in bird-related recreation, education, and conservation activities in urban and suburban areas.
- 2018 – The Director’s Rule 13-2018 was updated to protect the colony, staging areas and buffer zone.
