Starting in 2020, I will be teamed up with other WNPS Master Native Plant Stewards for an environmental restoration project in the heart of Sammamish, WA. This project will transform a half-acre park site from an invasive dominant lot with no wildlife benefit, to an open, diverse and resilient forest which provides positive benefits for human users (including a neighboring elementary school) and wildlife, as well as for the larger community.
By the end of the project, our measurable goals are to decrease invasive growth to less than 10% of the site and native cover will be increased to over 40% of the site. Native plants that support pollinators will be incorporated along the exterior of the site. A trail will meander through the interior of the site. Signs will be posted so that park users can identify native plants and pollinator-friendly plants and learn about the value of both.
The newly diversified restoration site will provide improved ecosystem services:
- The more diverse understory will provide wildlife habitat, attract pollinators, and help
filter stormwater runoff. - The added tree canopy cover will increase air filtration, increase carbon sequestration,
and increase nutrient cycling. It will also decrease stormwater runoff, as only
approximately 20-30% of rainfall penetrates a coniferous canopy. - The more open and attractive forest, with a walking trail will allow park users to
reconnect to nature, providing mental and physical health benefits.
The community will be engaged in the restoration process through volunteer work parties,
through communication with park users, including the elementary school community and neighbors, and through using the self-guided interpretive trail.
In partnership with Washington Native Plant Society and the City of Sammamish