Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust Native Plant Nursery Work

The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust’s native plant nursery at Lake Sammamish State Park needed some extra weeding after a dearth of volunteer attention during the pandemic pause. Young plants get started in the nursery and then find long lives out in nature on restoration planting sites throughout the Greenway.

The record setting 100+ temps didn’t do the potted plants any favors and some needed to be tossed on the compost pile, so carts were loaded up and happily driven back and forth. It was lovely to see the nursery busy with volunteers again! We’ll be back in the winter to enjoy the covered potting area.

Lake Sammamish State Park Blackberry Grubbing

Squad enjoyed the end of summer at Lake Sammamish State Park with the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust. We tackled blackberry removal in the restoration planting area near the creek that flows into the lake. With school back in session, the swimming beach with nice and quiet!

UPCOMING EVENTS for the Homeschool Stewardship Squad
(2nd Thursdays & 4th Wednesdays 11:00a)

(4th) Wed 9/22 - Lake Sammamish State Park, MTSGT *swimming* RSVP here - pls sign up ea person individually

(2nd) Thurs 10/14 - Cottonwood Corner, Green Tukwila Partnership

(4th) Wed 10/27 - Cheasty Greenspace, Columbia City, Green Seattle Partnership

Potting-Up with the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust.

Squad always loves working with the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust and their seasonal AmeriCorps crews from across the US & Territories. AmeriCorps programs are diverse and offer interesting ways for young people to engage in various public service tasks while gaining both work and travel experience. The kids gravitate towards working closely with them, usually with a big smile and extensive chatting.

We potted up native Douglas fir / Pseudotsuga menziesii trees that will mature awhile in the nursery at Lake Sammamish State Park until they are developed enough to be planted out on restoration sites in the Greenway corridor. In addition to learning high-quality potting techniques, we were instructed on how to inspect and sort pots for quality and, ever-popular with the littles, the fine art of cart driving. We look forward to more work with the Greenway this summer when we partner for our annual swimming stewardship events.

Luther Burbank Park, Continued Restoration Efforts

Squad had another great summer stewardship event at Luther Burbank Park with the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust. We worked closer to our usual restoration site near Calkins Point on Lake Washington adjacent to the big Oregon ash tree / Fraxinus latifolia. Some shade was enjoyed, despite staying out from under its limbs splayed out during storm damage last winter. The usual noxious weed suspects–blackberry, buttercup, stinky Bob and bindweed–were dug & pulled out from around the native plantings.

After lunch we formed a ‘fire line’ and moved a good deal of mulch! It was fun and the kids worked incredibly hard–certainly earning their swim afterwards. Mulch retains moisture, reduces weeds and provides organic matter to nourish the soil. The concrete stall remnants of the former dairy farm haven’t lost their charm and are always attractive for play. A terrific day!

Lake Washington Restoration on Mercer Island

Squad has worked at Luther Burbank Park for many summers with the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust–almost always under the shade of a large Oregon Ash / Fraxinus latifolia–however this year we were surprised to find our special tree’s large limbs splayed apart at odd angles, reportedly from a lightening strike! Fortunately we had achieved a good deal of weeding over the years and the native plants under the ash are looking good overall and many areas show more wood chips than weeds.

We worked at a new location near the sculptural amphitheater-type area, digging out noxious blackberry, buttercup and pulling bindweed. Some shade was available below the old Lombardy poplars, but the lake was more than welcoming after some good shovel work. The quiet north end of the lake is shallow for some time and a real pleasure for taking a dip.