30 Volunteers Plant 1,000 Trees at Washington State Park

Thirty volunteers traded their weekend plans for muddy boots and shovels, planting 1,000 trees near Pass Lake in Washington's Deception Pass State Park.

The Saturday event brought together the Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group, Deception Pass Park Foundation, and Washington State Parks to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. Volunteers hiked along a gravel path to planting sites on a hillside below Highway 20, where dirt rows stretched down into the valley.

"There's a lot of bad going on in the world, and it's nice to do something good," said Sarah Wheatley, a volunteer from Bellingham. She worked alongside 17-year-old Cynthia Zimmerman of Anacortes, who volunteered as part of a Girl Scout project.

The reforestation project aims to transform five open fields totaling 19.5 acres into a mixed conifer forest. The fields once grew hay until invasive buttercups and daisies took over, requiring park staff to spend 80 hours mowing them regularly.

Saturday's planting followed an earlier volunteer day on New Year's Day when 2,000 trees went into the ground. More planting events are scheduled as the project continues.

The Ripple Effect

The new forest will do more than beautify the landscape. The trees will help prevent toxic algae from forming in Pass Lake, protecting water quality for years to come.

The diverse partnership impressed Kelly Williams, education and outreach specialist at Skagit Fisheries. "This project is really cool because of all the different kinds of entities that are able to come together and kind of introduce new volunteers," she said.

Siri Owen from the Washington State Geocaching Association saw the event as a welcome break from screens. "Getting out, getting fresh air and some time away from screens and the news and being able to enjoy the beautiful area that we live in is really great," she said.

Zimmerman understood the deeper purpose behind the work. She noted that without human help, the land cannot return to its natural state on its own.

Becky Snijder of Washington State Parks summed up the project's meaning: "The work really shows how people care about the park and the land and making it better for all species."

Those interested in joining future planting days can find updates at skagitfisheries.org, deceptionpassfoundation.org, and parks.wa.gov.