First-ever Green Snoqualmie Day marks start of successful Green City Day project.

December 12, 2017 12:19 pm
First-ever Green Snoqualmie Day marks start of successful Green City Day project.

Across the Puget Sound more than 2,200 volunteers converged at area parks and green spaces from Oct. 7 to Nov. 21 to celebrate Green City Days. With nine participating cities, including Snoqualmie, this annual event connects community members in a common goal, helping to keep forested parks and green spaces environmentally healthy.

Kicking off the Green City Days series of events was Snoqualmie, with Green Snoqualmie Day, Oct. 7. With the help of 60 community volunteers, more than 650 native plants were added to Snoqualmie Point Park and Meadowbrook Slough. The city, Forterra, and Mountains to Sound Greenway sponsored the event.

Other Green Cities included Tukwila, Tacoma, Kent, Everett, Redmond, Puyallup, Kirkland and Seattle.

Overall this year, program participation was up 47 percent and plantings were up 120 percent.

Cumulatively, these events planted more than 15,000 native plants. This work was completed by 2,221 volunteers who clocked a combined total of 6,663 volunteer service hours. Volunteers came from all over the region and represented high school Key Clubs, elementary school students, area colleges and businesses.

Each Green City has partnered with Forterra to established a community-based restoration program that brings together local non-profits, community groups, city agencies, neighborhood leaders, and local businesses to support healthy urban green spaces. For more information about the Green City Partnership, visit the Forterra website at http://forterra.org.

Green City Day events were made possible with support from city staff, volunteer Forest Stewards and more than 20 non-profit organizations, including Forterra, EarthCorps, Mountains to Sound Greenway, Student Conservation Association, Sound Salmon Solutions, Tilth Alliance and local Audubon chapters.

Some 60 community volunteers helping to remove invasive plants and plant native species at Snoqualmie Point Park and the Meadowbrook Slough at the city’s first ever Green Snoqualmie Day, Oct. 7, take a break for a group photo. (Photo courtesy of Jim Avery)

Some 60 community volunteers helping to remove invasive plants and plant native species at Snoqualmie Point Park and the Meadowbrook Slough at the city’s first ever Green Snoqualmie Day, Oct. 7, take a break for a group photo. (Photo courtesy of Jim Avery)