A total of 185 Mount Si High School students in the National Honor Society recently volunteered to spruce up two local parks in Snoqualmie.

Four groups of students worked March 24, 25, 31 and April 1 to remove invasive blackberry bushes and weeds, dig out stubborn roots and stumps, pick up garbage, load piles of thorny debris into trucks, and spread mulch around native plants and cleared areas. On three of the four days, the teens worked through rainy weather and muddy conditions.

“I’m so proud of this group for volunteering their free time, without complaint through rain and mud, to help beautify the parks and give back to their community,” said Linda Wickswat, Mount Si National Honor Society advisor and Spanish teacher. “With so many students working hard, it was impressive to see the positive impact they were able to make on these areas.”

The National Honor Society worked with the Green Snoqualmie Partnership to improve the Three Forks Natural Area,across from Centennial Park, near the dog park by the river, and a neighborhood greenbelt park off Orchard Avenue on Snoqualmie Ridge.

The city supplied tools and mulch, and the students provided the muscle, to tackle the areas covered with blackberry bushes, Scotch broom, and other invasive non-native weeds.

Green Snoqualmie is a non-profit through the city of Snoqualmie that works with volunteers to help clean up parks and restore forests.