Urban Forestry Restoration Project comes to Kirkland’s Juanita Beach and Watershed Parks
Published 6:00 am Wednesday, December 31, 2014
During January, Kirkland will again benefit from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Urban Forestry Restoration Project. A Puget SoundCorps (PSC) crew provided through this Project will work with city staff for four weeks to restore forested areas in Juanita Beach and Watershed Parks, starting in early January.
Most forested sites remaining in Kirkland are in decline. Loggers removed conifer trees such as Douglas-fir, western red cedar and western hemlock during the early 1900s, and the deciduous trees left behind are reaching the end of their lifespans. To make matters worse, invasive non-native plants such as Himalayan blackberry and English ivy are spreading at an alarming rate. These invasive plants compete with native tree seedlings for light, water, nutrients and space.
“Improving the health and function of trees and forested sites increases the capacity of urban forests to manage stormwater and to improve air and water quality,” said Sharon Rodman of the Green Kirkland Partnership. “Kirkland is fortunate that this program’s restoration efforts can reverse the diminished health of our forested parks by removing invasive plants and replanting native species.”
To learn more about how to help keep forests and other natural areas in Kirkland healthy, contact the Green Kirkland Partnership at greenkirkland@kirklandwa.gov, or visit the Partnership’s website.
