North Bend to celebrate Arbor Day with Tollgate Forest restoration

Although National Arbor Day is typically the last Friday in April each year, North Bend holds a fall observation of the holiday. For this year’s event, Saturday, Nov. 22, the city is planning a tree-planting day at the Tollgate Farm property. Historically a forest of giant conifer trees along the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River, Tollgate Forest is now comprised of cottonwood, maple, alder, cascara, and cherry trees. The river serves as a wildlife corridor for elk, deer and other large animals, and the forest is home to a variety of wildlife, including pileated woodpeckers, wood ducks, river otters and muskrat. Native conifers are missing from the forest, and non-native plants such as English ivy and Himalayan blackberry are invading the forest.

November 10, 2014 12:12 pm

Although National Arbor Day is typically the last Friday in April each year, North Bend holds a fall observation of the holiday. For this year’s event, Saturday, Nov. 22, the city is planning a tree-planting day at the Tollgate Farm property.

Historically a forest of giant conifer trees along the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River, Tollgate Forest is now comprised of cottonwood, maple, alder, cascara, and cherry trees. The river serves as a wildlife corridor for elk, deer and other large animals, and the forest is home to a variety of wildlife, including pileated woodpeckers, wood ducks, river otters and muskrat. Native conifers are missing from the forest, and non-native plants such as English ivy and Himalayan blackberry are invading the forest.

In cooperation with the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, volunteers will mark North Bend’s Arbor Day by planting native conifer trees at the farm. The conifers will help restore a healthy forest canopy. The event starts at 9 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 22, at the farm, 901 Bendigo Boulevard North, in North Bend. Community members are invited to take part in the celebration and planting.