![]() Recently 30 neighbors, students and friends gathered to spread mulch, dig out blackberry roots and water new plants. 14 people signed up to continue watering up to twice a week through the summer. It's a big job with about 1200 plants and trees to cover. This is how a forest is born from blackberries. It needs our help. Each volunteer had a personal reason for working in the forest. Alice Tsoodle, a long time volunteer with FNCF shares her story below. WHY I VOLUNTEER ![]() For a girl who grew up on the grassy plains of the south and the scrub shrubs of the southwestern desert, the idea of a nurse log is one of the most amazing and comforting phenomena that I have ever encountered. Here is the perfect example that all life on earth is bound together into one efficiently functioning cycle. In short, when a tree falls in the forest, it brings with it millions of seeds from a wide variety of forest plants and trees. As the tree decays and breaks down, the seeds spring forth with new life. These new plant lives gather all of their nutrients directly from the former life of the old trees. This ensures that life continues on and the forests stay healthy. There is no death, because even after the chlorophyll leaves these trees they continue to function as an important part of Earth’s life cycle. This was one of the first ecological lessons I learned about the great hemlock forests that used to blanket the soft hills of the Pacific Northwest. I learned this lesson while standing in front of a nurse log in a small patch of old-growth upland forest known as the North Creek Forest of Bothell. I was standing there, breathing the fresh air that one can only breathe in the heart of a healthy forest. Seeing the light flicker out of the corner of my eye as it filters through the dancing leaves of the vine maple. Feeling the cool, moist air evaporate the sweat on the back of my neck. Tasting the sweet misty rain dripping down from the big leaf maple. All of my senses were heightened as I absorbed so much information in one brief class period. ![]() As a student at UW Bothell, I was incredibly lucky to have experienced such a unique lesson within walking distance of my school. Friends of North Creek Forest made this opportunity available to me through the grass roots efforts born in the homes of local naturalists. In their collaboration with the brilliant teachers and passionate students at UW Bothell, this small group of people has helped to open my eyes to such ancient beauty and a desperate hope for continuity. ![]() I volunteer at North Creek Forest because when I step into the heart of the forest, the smoggy sound, smell, and stress of the city melts away and I feel at peace. There is a serene sense of calm that makes me feel like I belong, that I am here for a reason. I believe that restoring and maintaining our old growth forests is vital to the health of the human race. We are here for a reason, and I believe we have gone astray somewhere. We need the forests to remind us of what our ecological function is. We need to take a deep breath under the shade of the western red cedar and remember that we are stewards of all life on earth, and it’s time for us to rejoin the circle. Alice Tsoodle Our level of stewardship is made possible by a grant from the Rose Foundation. Thank you, FNCF
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![]() WELCOME AMY LAMBERT TO OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS Amy's academic background: Lecturer, School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, U of W Bothell Ph.D. Conservation Biology, University of Washington M.S. Restoration Ecology, University of Washington B.F.A. Visual Arts, Florida State University Amy's classes play a large role in NCF restoration. Her summer class, Urban Bees, will offer an oft overlooked perspective on our urban wild lands (and back yards). Also proposed, a project to design signage that might someday be used to awaken visitors the the wonders of the forest. ![]() Amy (about her classes) “...an opportunity for people living in urban environments to be involved in the reconstruction of ecological processes." “Humans need a relationship with natural environment.” Amy's classes include The Art And Science of Restoration Ecology. It is a good track toward the senior Capstone program, UW Restoration Ecology Network. In the words of one student, a former business major with a 3.96 GPA: "After taking a restoration ecology course at UW Bothell taught by Amy Lambert, I rediscovered the wonders of nature and changed my major to environmental studies with a minor in ecological restoration." ![]() OTHER EVENTS NOT PREVIOUSLY COVERED May 10th - Montessori visit FNCF Vice President Dr. David Bain invited a class from Woodinville Montessori to tour the UWREN site with team liaison Kent Parkinson. The students saw first hand, the results of a scientifically designed restoration site. They also got the story behind this moss covered door: A doorway to nature, created by artist Teppei Sato. By the way: an interesting convergence of funding... The Rose Foundation Grassroots Grant enables us to expand all of our stewardship activities including UWREN support. A second Grassroots Grant to The Environmental Science Center expands that group's environmental education, which includes enriching their activity with Woodinville Montessori. A third Grassroots Grant, to Woodinville Montessori, enables them to do a significant restoration project along a small stream next to their school. Thank you Rose Foundation! ![]() May 18th - "County Line Creek" cleanup Our previous article announced a pending clean up of some of the areas of NCF now owned by the city. We started by taking apart the rotting roof on this structure. ![]() Force and leverage, it worked on this roof. ![]() Steve Dahl, Bothell Parks, was the lead on this event. Two volunteers independently mentioned their appreciation for Steve's leadership. One comment... "Man, he doesn't just tell you what to do. He's in there doing the heavy work." Thanks Steve. You have our appreciation for your leadership and hard work. ![]() Carolyn Freese, FNCF Treasurer and Adam Hess, Cascadia CC, Amphibian Research Intern, hauling loads of soggy rugs to the dumpster. Smelly stuff... ![]() We finished getting everything out of "County Line Creek" then volunteers regrouped at 242nd, in the upper forest, to relocate additional trash to a city truck staged for the event. ![]() Everything planned was completed. The team doesn't look tired so... After this end-of-day photo many enthusiastic volunteers walked 200 meters to the UWREN site and put in another 1.5 hours! An awesome day team... we received communications from city officials expressing appreciation for your hard work. You made a real difference. Our level of stewardship was made possible by a grant from the Rose Foundation. Thank you, FNCF ![]() There is no official name for this creek. So we call it "County Line Creek" because that's where it is. This beautiful small stream has been trashed... as in garbage. Plastic chairs, bottles, plastic bags old rugs and a broken down tin covered cistern dominate the scene. The land the creek passes through was purchased by the city in December 2011, our first successful assist in land purchase. Now we are teaming up with the Bothell Parks and Recreation Department to clean it all up in one day. We need a team to do this. ![]() The building in the photo on the right is a cistern, a catch basin for irrigation water left over from the farming days before I-405 was built. It might look pretty here but it is a bag-of-ugly up close. We will be dismantling the roof and hauling it off along with everything else. With your help we can make every view along this creek a place to enjoy. Saturday, May 18th 10:00 AM - 2:30 PM End of 112th Ave NE just north of the restoration site. MAP Thanks, FNCF ![]() FNCF President, Jeanie Robinson, is smiling about forest science without using cars. In addition to securing the ecological benefits of North Creek Forest our stated dream is: To enable a giant outdoor "walk to laboratory" to inspire students in science, art and literature. On May 1 we took a big step in that direction. Saint Brendan students walked from school and did scientific research under the guidance of noted northwest naturalist, Rob Sandelin. Rob teaches at the Sky Valley Education Center in Monroe. He has also been a park naturalist at Yosemite, Olympic Peninsula and Denali National Parks and a field educator at Yellowstone. ![]() Decent into a research zone. The day was absolutely perfect in every way. ![]() After going over a personal story about recovering a baseball in nettles and showing students what nettles look like, Rob weaves his magic. Adults and students were captivated. ![]() Rob had students group in teams of three. Each team was given a clipboard and 2 wood stakes coupled with exactly five meters of string. Field research involved randomly placing the stakes and recording how many different plants fell under the stretched string and the count for each plant in each sample. Students took as many samples as they could in about 45 minutes. ![]() Random sampling (and fun) was magnified when Rob said, "Come back to this spot when you hear this sound," and proceeded to howl like a wolf. With a grin student teams scattered everywhere. ![]() It is worth pointing out how serious students were about their research. They were meticulous in getting the string tight and counting every plant under the string. ![]() The event was important enough that Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition (WWRC) brought in a professional photographer to make a video. [Also see: Bothell Reporter ] ![]() After students regrouped at the sound of the "wolf" Rob talked about the plants they found. He held up a plant and asked "How many of you found this plant to be the most abundant in more than half of your samples?" Student were able to see how different plants dominate in different parts of the forest. He then helped them learn plant names. They will probably remember when he waved the fern (in his left hand) like a sword... a Sword Fern, right? ![]() Hanna Clark, with WWRC, told students about the Land and Water Conservation Fund and how important it is to saving North Creek Forest, not for a few years, but forever. The money for this fund comes from a tax on oil and gas drilling and has been in place since 1965. It has been difficult to get Congress to fund the grant even though the the money is collected. ![]() Thank you Senator Murray! Senator Patty Murray has worked very hard to get Congress to keep funding for the LWCF. Without that work, the forest you see in the background (right) would not be in purchase negotiations with the city. A second LWCF grant we worked with the city to apply for will be used to help purchase 3 remaining forest parcels IF Congress funds the LWCF. Senator Murray was once called "the Senator in white tennis shoes". So students signed a gift of white hiking boots to express gratitude for her help in saving the forest. ![]() North Creek Forest is an urban gem. If you have a giving program please consider a donation to our organization so we can continue our activities of conservation, education and stewardship. If you are a current or retired Boeing employee your gift will be matched by Boeing. All gifts are deductible. This is a fragile forest. No official trails exist. We will advocate for special trails. We want trails to be designed by biologists so people can see diverse habitat without disturbing the wildlife. So far UW Bothell students have carefully mapped key plant communities across 35 acres. Our Cascadia CC interns started a one year amphibian study and key amphibian habitats will also be mapped. Someday the whole forest may be saved (with a lot more work). Someday you may be able to see this waterfall and let your mind go where it does in places like this. All is possible because you support it. Gratefully, FNCF ALSO... ![]() Rob Sandelin, "This is what I do." If you want to get a very useful book check out: Field Guide to the Cascades and Olympics by Rob Sandelin Stephen Whitney Published by the Mountaineers It's made for the field: sturdy, compact and full of what you need, to identify many of the plants, animals, insects and a lot of other you things might run into. ![]() At the end of the day the most often spoken words were, "Thank You". The UWREN Team and FNCF are grateful for the huge turnout. But the words "Thank you," were coming from the volunteers faster than we could offer them to the volunteers. "This was the best event I ever attended." Sarah Witte could not stop grinning. She may be our Volunteer Coordinator but with 12 years of volunteer work on all kinds of restoration sites she can make informed comparisons. ![]() We packed this 40 cubic yard dumpster full in 4 hours. Again: Thank you Waste Management Inc. for your generous donation. .. ... and the Rose Foundation for the grant that enables much of our stewardship effort. ![]() Some students from UW Seattle arrived in 3 Yellow Cabs. That was a first. When they start showing up in limos we will publish our hamburger recipe :) ![]() Community member John Pearson has bee on every event in 2013. John, you are a big part of this team. ![]() Rick and Ruth OBrien are from the Summit neighborhood and are becoming regulars at our forest events. Besides spontaneously running to the store when food got low they are enthusiastic about everything students are doing. Thank you Rick and Ruth. ![]() Cutting canes, digging roots,planting trees. with your friends. What better way to spend a spring Saturday? ![]() Oh boy we ate well. ![]() UWREN Team members Jody Johnson and Duncan Medlin arranging plants according to a design based on best science. In the end it is about creating the richest natural wildlife habitat possible. See Friends of North Creek Forest on Facebook for more photos. Thank you all! FNCF ![]() Cub Scout Pack 64 learns proper root arrangement for strong plants. A lot of new people have joined us this springs to support restoration and stewardship. And a lot of people return for almost every event. Now we are going to bring them all together in one big push to meet the spring planting schedule. The National Park Service required a anthropological study of this part of the forest prior to releasing funds to the City of Bothell to purchase it. Students had to wait for the study to be completed before planting could begin. Now it is a race to get plant roots established before the heat of summer arrives. The exciting part: The National Park Service is part of our conservation effort (Land and Water Grant). ![]() Linda Cung and FNCF Board Member Cathy Garrard. The other exciting part: we are going to win the race to plant on time. BBQ and MAJOR PLANTING EVENT Saturday April 27th 10 AM - 2:30 PM MAP HERE [We have a lot of gloves but if you have favorite pair you can bring your own.] Linda has been on more UWREN and FNCF restoration efforts than almost any other volunteer. Cathy has been increasingly involved "out in the field". She is also a founding board member of FNCF. ![]() John Pearson (far left in photo) showed up on this English holly event in February and has been coming back almost every Saturday to help out. ![]() CHECK YOUR AVAILABILITY We now post upcoming events on the right side of this page and at the bottom of our Home Page. Thanks to a Grassroots Grant from the Rose Foundation we are able to put up to 50 people to work in the forest on a given day. These are exciting events. They are also vital to the conservation of North Creek Forest. ![]() WHY STEWARDSHIP? This is a big forest. It takes a large community to save it and care for it. Working together we improve the forest. Working together we build a common resolve. While disturbing to some, the forest to the south is being cleared for housing. The reality is, we need houses AND we need urban forests. The same developer clearing the forest below cooperates with us to remove invasive plants from his land in North Creek Forest and is willing to sell his land for conservation. He only needs a fair deal. We are committed to saving the forest AND finding a winning solution for landowners.. So please help us steward North Creek Forest. The hours you offer helps us show community support for grants that can save the rest of the forest. ![]() Adam Hess removing English Holly from North Creek Forest Today we honor Adam Hess for his outstanding contributions to science and forest stewardship. FNCF works with many students. Adam Hess and his student research partners (and friends) Caitlin Ihler and Maddy Fisher have been involved with FNCF in some way since Fall of 2011. Enjoy this interview written by Krystle Minerich HERE. Thank you Adam, Caitlin and Maddy! FNCF ![]() Our first thought... we can't fit in all in. THE CHALLENGE: FILL THIS DUMPSTER IN FOUR HOURS Twenty seven students and neighbors decided they could. This dumpster has a 40 cubic yard capacity. Piles of holly have been building since the beginning of the year. Blackberry cane has been piling up along the city right-of-way since last September. Here is how we did it... ![]() It sounded like a swarm of giant termites. We had to cut piles of holly down to little pieces, reducing the volume by 50%. It's amazing what 20 pairs of loppers can do in the hands of determined volunteers. ![]() Piles had to be moved a little at a time. We started by dragging them behind a truck then discovered piles that big were too hard to get into the dumpster. So it was hand carry/drag and good conversation. ![]() Several methods were tried. It's easy to get the first pile in. But then came the test: can we build the pile to the ceiling? ![]() Bigger piles were tried after we found a "best Way" to stack the stuff. ![]() How about a really big load? Notice how relaxed some people are? Others felt it the next day! ![]() Strength and will... and a few people on the other side who volunteered to get "buried" then climb out over the top. ![]() Photographer Teppei Sato has covered every event this year. ![]() By popular demand the next BBQ will include our own invention... hamburger on a butter croissant. Didn't Have those this time and people noticed. ![]() Bothell High School Earth Club and Honor Society: what a force. You have seen some of them in previous stories. Thanks all of you for helping. It would not have been completed without you. ![]() Thank you. You all did a magnificent job! ![]() Our future director will remember the day he helped fill this box to the top! THANK YOU... Waste Management Inc. for donating the dumpster. Cedar Grove Compost for receiving 40 cubic yards of plant material. Clearview Albertsons Clearview Starbucks Coffee Shop The Rose Foundation for the Grassroots Grant which enables our expanded stewardship. ![]() The National Wildlife Federation has selected Jessica Howe, Bothell High School student, to receive it's 2013 National Conservation Achievement Award in the youth catagory. Jessica has been volunteering with FNCF since last summer when she showed up to water 400+ new plants installed at the first UWREN site. She is President of the Bothell High School Earth Club. She is taking college level classes and splits her exercise between track, basketball and soccer. ![]() Anyone looking at these photos will know they were taken in the North Creek Heights neighborhood. This is where we are controlling an English Holly infestation at it's apparent point of origin. The land is under a conservation easement and part of the larger NCF. ![]() Jessica, we are proud of you. You and your friends keep popping up on these projects and help us all to understand the meaning of community. More about Jessica HERE. Neighbors and students: If you would like to meet people like Jessica who enjoy small tasks that add up to big, long term improvements to our community and world... join us and have some fun. This Saturday 11 AM - 2:30 PM with BBQ MAP Thank You! FNCF |
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