What is good is that everyone can participate. You don’t have to be a certain age or super-strong to plant a tree.
Boy, it was a cold one! This Saturday, February 18th, F
CRW and King County Parks hosted nearly 80 volunteers of all ages at one of our newest restoration sites, Marymoor Wetlands at the Sammamish Rowing Facility, in Redmond.
The wetlands provide a critical habitat link while they improve the water quality of Lake Sammamish, part of the greater Lake Washington Watershed. Lake Sammamish is heavily impacted due to stormwater runoff from the surrounding communities. By planting native trees and shrubs in the wetlands, we can bring people together to solve the problem. Planting trees creates healthy soils that build forests and forests help clean the water. “You wouldn’t think that dirt would make water cleaner, but it does,” stated Volunteer Habitat Restoration Program Manager, Nisa Karimi to groups of volunteers during the cycle of morning education orientations.
The difference made through large community restorations occurs not only as a result of the work accomplished on-site, but because of the new perspective gained by the families and individuals taking part in the project. “What is good is that everyone can participate. You don’t have to be a certain age or super-strong to plant a tree. Today is a drop in the bucket, but it makes a difference,” noted one volunteer who chose to spend a day with out-of-town guests doing something interesting. “We could have gone to a movie or something, but this was better.”
Cold hands and clay-crusted work gloves (many had to come back for a second pair in the middle of the restoration) did not deter this group from getting trees in the ground. After a delicious lunch, several families began to pack up for home as the day was tough on little ones, but several others were nowhere near quitting. “Wait, we don’t have to stop do we?” remarked one concerned volunteer. “We are getting somewhere.”
The effort to restore Marymoor Wetlands is a partnership between FCRW, King County Parks, and the Sammamish Rowing Association. Saturday’s project was thanks to a collaboration between Friend of the Cedar River Watershed and Whole Foods Markets in honor of the release of Dr Suess’ The Lorax.
