Take a tour and help King County Parks restore habitat at Little Lake Forest near Enumclaw, March 7

February 12, 2020

Summary

Join friends, neighbors and King County Parks employees March 7 for a habitat restoration work party and tour of the 155-acre Little Lake Forest property near Enumclaw, which the county acquired in 2018 for public open space and environmental preservation.

Story

King County Parks invites community members to a March 7 work party and guided tour at the 155-acre Little Lake Forest property near Enumclaw, where habitat restoration and other improvements based on guidance from community feedback are underway.

Assisted by King County Parks employees, work party participants will help restore portions of the degraded pastureland by planting trees and shrubs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

A guided tour through a portion of the property follows the work party. Parks employees will talk about future plans for the site, which are based on ideas collected during a public engagement effort in 2019. 

King County acquired the heavily forested property in 2018 through a partnership with land conservation and sustainability nonprofit Forterra, which purchased the 155-acre parcel for $1.59 million and held the acreage until the County could raise the funds to reimburse the organization.

Sitting at the base of the Cascade Range foothills, the Little Lake Forest property will serve as a public gateway to thousands of acres of lowland-elevation forestland, including access to the network of recreational trails in the 80,000-acre Tomanamus Forest, owned by the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and managed by Hancock Forest. Access to Tomanamus Forest requires a permit from Hancock Recreation. 

The land provides high-quality habitat for a variety of native species and serves as a buffer between Enumclaw and the working forests of the foothills. Preserving this property as forested public open space advances the vision King County Executive Dow Constantine laid out in his 2018 Land Conservation Initiative, which is intent on preserving 65,000 acres of remaining important open space lands within a generation (30 years) and before the opportunity is lost due to population growth and development pressure.

Work party details: Wear appropriate clothing and shoes or boots that you don’t mind getting muddy and wet – the work will occur rain or shine. Gloves, water, snacks, and hot drinks will be provided – bring a refillable water bottle. Please RSVP to Brian Lund, King County Parks Volunteer Restoration Coordinator, at brian.lund@kingcounty.gov. 

Driving directions to 29900 SE 435th Pl, Enumclaw, WA 98022: From the nearby Enumclaw Transfer Station, continue down Battersby Avenue East as it bends north and turns into 292nd Avenue Southeast. The road bends east near its end – follow the signs through the forest where Parks employees will help you find a place to park. Carpooling is encouraged, as there is limited on-site parking.  

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Doug Williams, King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, 206-477-4543

About King County Parks
King County Parks - Your Big Backyard - offers more than 200 parks and 28,000 acres of open space, including such regional treasures as Marymoor Park and Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, 175 miles of regional trails, 215 miles of backcountry trails and a world-class aquatic center. King County Parks cultivates strong partnerships with public, private, and non-profit entities that leverage public dollars, enhance public recreation opportunities, and involve King County residents in the stewardship of King County’s open space and recreation assets.