By Peter Rimbos

Group Executive Committee Member and Communications Coordinator

Soos Creek Park Restoration

On Saturday, October 25, we held our 11th Semi-Annual Restoration event at Gary Grant Soos Creek Park in Kent. This event marks the beginning of our sixth year of efforts to rid the park of invasive plant species and restore native growth in its place.

When we first implemented this project, we made the point to volunteers that we won't allow their work to be wasted, as it was (and is) our intention to continue monitoring areas previously worked to make sure ivy, scotch broom, etc. do not make a comeback. With this most recent event, we did just that, revisiting a site we worked five years ago to remove rebounding ivy. The results of our first efforts on this site were still very obvious, with much new native growth and better forest structure than before, but the re-growth of ivy was threatening to reverse the process. With the success of our latest efforts, that is no longer the case. The site is again in a condition for continued improvement.

We profusely thank all volunteers who showed up and worked to make this event a great success. Your efforts allowed us to achieve our goal for theday, and put us in position to take the next steps we plan for the park.

Oil and Special Wildlife Areas in Arctic Alaska

On Tuesday, November 11, Mark Johnston of the South King County Group delivered an Alaska Wilderness League presentation regarding oil and the Alaskan Arctic at Wesley Gardens in Des Moines. The event was well-attended (50-60 people) and covered issues currently surrounding the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Teshekpuk Lake, and the Polar Bear Seas (Chukchi and Beautfort). All of these areas are presently under threat of being swamped by the rapid expansion of oil exploration and development in northern Alaska.

The presentation encompassed not only information about these particular areas, but also the over-all picture of oil industry activities in Arctic Alaska and oil as it relates to the nation's energy supplies, prices, etc. Those in attendance were very interested in the subject and most notably took 15 or so Alaska Wilderness Legue membership forms with them when they left.

With a now much greener Congress, we may finally be at a point where can "take delivery" on securing permanent protection for these and other special wildlife areas in northern Alaska. Those who attended this presentation and subsequently join the league will be able to add their voices to help bring this about (see www.alaskawild.org ).

Bi-Monthly Meeting: 2008 Washington State Legislative Priorities

On November 19, we hosted a timely meeting to identify important legislative action items for the coming year. Speakers included Peter Orth, Chair of the Cascade Chapter's Legislative Committee; and State Representative Dave Upthegrove, 33rd Legislative District, a member of the Washington Climate Action Team and Chair of the Ecology and Parks Committee. We engaged in an open and lively discussion of what we would like to focus on and how we might best meet our goals.

Mr. Orth identified four priority items for the WA Environmental Council:

1) Transit-oriented communities, focusing on land-use policies;

2) Energy-efficent buildings, focusing on improved performance codes;

3) Capping GHG emissions, focusing on a cap and trade system;

4) Funding environmental cleanup, focusing on Puget Sound cleanup.

Representative Upthegrove is a real environmental champion. He was familiar with each of the environmental community's priority items for the 2008 Legislature. His Ecology and Parks Commitee will focus on Puget Sound cleanup, reviewing and beginning to implement recommendations for the Governor's Puget Sound Partnership and Climate Change to studying a cap and trade system.(For more information, click here.)

ExCom Openings

If you would like to direct some of your environmental enthusiasm and have the opportunity to help plan Group activities, actions, etc, please consider running for election to our Group's Executive Committee. We meet periodically in central locations in south King County. Contact Group Chair Dan Streiffert.

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