Get dirty with Earth Day fun in Juanita Bay Park

April 17, 2009 4:28 pm
Turtles lined up on a log enjoy the sunshine in Juanita Bay Park.
Turtles lined up on a log enjoy the sunshine in Juanita Bay Park.

Green Kirkland Partnership volunteers will be celebrating Earth Day with a forest and wetland restoration work party on Saturday, April 25 at Juanita Bay Park.

An EarthCorps crew will be leading invasive plant removal activities for the Partnership’s kick-off event in aid of the city’s Juanita Bay Park Restoration Action Plan. The event will be managed by EarthCorps, a Seattle-based non-profit affiliate of AmeriCorps and founded in 1993. Their primary focus is to provide one-year intensive programs for young adults (18-25) to learn best practices in conservation techniques and develop skills in leading volunteers (ages 8-80).

Organizers are still searching for as many volunteers as they can get by registering in advance at the EarthCorps Web site, though registration can be completed on the day of the event. Families and residents of all ages are encouraged to come and help out. Minors under the age of 14 years must be accompanied by an adult, while teens 14 to 17 years old should have written permission from a parent or guardian to attend.

Also sponsoring the event, Juanita’s Village Mart is donating free sodas and snacks to keep everyone refreshed, Waste Management is supplying waste bins for the removed plant matter and the Cascade Land Conservancy is sponsoring free t-shirts especially made for the occasion.

“We only have 100 Green Kirkland Partnership t-shirts, so early arrivers will have the best chance of getting one,” said Green Kirkland Partnership spokeswoman Sharon Rodman.

The Juanita Bay Park entrance is located at 2201 Market Street.

The start time is 9 a.m. and the volunteer-work runs through to 12 p.m. noon. Volunteers are encouraged to arrive early as a large number of participants are expected and parking spaces at the park are limited. A limited numbers of tools and equipment will be available, but volunteers are strongly encouraged to bring their own tools, if possible.

The next EarthCorps event is scheduled for Saturday, May 16 at Carillon Woods Park. Sign up on the EarthCorps website.

For more information, contact project manager Lina Rose by e-mail at lina@earthcorps.org or phone at 206-322-9296, ext. 225. For more information on the Green Kirkland Partnership, go to the city’s Green Kirkland Web site or Cascade Land Conservancy.