Did you know that King County Parks acquires lands for both recreational and environmental conservation purposes? In 2015, King County Parks worked on a total of 24 restoration sites throughout the park system and planted over 25,000 native trees. The properties we acquire come in a variety of conditions. The majority of the sites are previously developed lands that are run over with invasive weeds such as Himalayan blackberry, reed canary grass and Scot’s broom. With the help of community members and partners, we restore these sites by clearing out the invasive weeds and planting native vegetation to create habitat for wildlife such as birds, fish and other aquatic species. This new ArcOnline map enables users to explore the areas where restoration planting occurred in 2015 and learn about the great partners we worked with to restore these special sites.
How to use the site:
Users can simply click on any of the 24 red numbers on the map to the right side of the screen to view a picture and description of the restoration site on the left side of the screen.
A few site highlights:
Three Forks: In 2012 King County Parks purchased 350 acres of degraded riverfront and wetlands from what was once a farm on the property. Since then, Parks has partnered with Mountains to Sound Greenway and Two Rivers School to restore wildlife habitat at this site along the Snoqualmie River.
Taylor Mountain Forest: This working forest is actively managed for forest stewardship. By thinning old and dying trees, and planting young conifers, we keep this forest healthy for habitat and safe for trail users. This site is very popular with equestrians and hikers and has over 10 miles of backcountry trails.
Special thanks to our partners who made this restoration possible:
Americorps, Bellevue College, Duwamish Alive, Forterra, Friends of Maury Island Marine Park, Honey Creek Homeowners Association, Lake Geneva Homeowners Association, Maple Valley Rotary Club, Mountains to Sound Greenway, Overlake School, Tahoma Outdoor Academy, Trust for Public Lands, Two Rivers School and Water Tenders.