From the October-November-December 2009 Cascade Crest
South King County Group Report
by Mark Johnston, Group Outings Lead
Soos Creek Park, which straddles the
boundary between Kent and Covington and is adjacent to the King County
urban separator, hosts a seven-mile ribbon of high quality wetland and
riparian habitat. It provides essential habitat for wildlife, including
salmon and numerous species of resident and neo-tropical migratory
birds. Unfortunately, it is also seriously threatened by many invasive
non-native plant species, including significant infestations of English
ivy, scotch broom, and blackberries. Given the voracious development
forces surrounding areas face, the park will likely be the only
significant piece of healthy wildlife habitat remaining in the area in
the future; that is, if we can protect it and miantain the quality of
its environment.
On Saturday, August 29th, the South King County Group began its 7th year
restoring habitat in the park. This time, we targeted a huge blackberry
infestation near the park's south entrance. Volunteers braved a bit of
rain in the process, but the major task was wrestling with the thickets
and associated roots. This latest work party was in preparation for a
King County event to be held on October 3rd to replant the area with 650
native trees and shrubs.
As a result of our long history of work at the park, many significantly
infested areas are now clear and in various stages of recovery. In order
to retain the habitat gains we've achieved, we intend to occasionally
return to previously restored areas for maintenance, as well as tackling
new areas.
While the purpose of our work at Soos Creek is habitat restoration, the
project has benefited the club with much good visibility, publicity, and
just plain good outreach within the community. In fact, the Covington
Maple Valley Reporter editor dropped by this latest event and
subsequently ran a great story which will reach tens of thousands of
households in the area.
We thank all who came out to make this latest piece of our work on the
park a great success. The site is now ready for the King County October
3rd event. We're hoping for a good Sierra Club showing on the 3rd, so
all who would like to pitch in are certainly encouraged to do so. And
stay tuned for announcement of the next SKCG work party at the park,
which will occur some tine next spring.
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