Celebrate National Wildlife Week
March 18-24, 2013

What do black bears, flying squirrels and cicadas all have in common? They all need trees! This year National Wildlife Week is "Branching Out for Wildlife"—celebrating trees and their importance to wildlife and people.

National Wildlife Week is National Wildlife Federation's longest-running education program designed around teaching and connecting kids to the awesome wonders of wildlife. Each year, we pick a theme and provide fun and informative educational materials, curriculum and activities for educators and caregivers to use with kids.

For ways to celebrate, see the National Wildlife Federation web page: 

http://www.nwf.org/national-wildlife-week.aspx

 

 

The City of Sammamish will be holding a spring plant salvage event on March 23. The salvage will be from 9am - 1pm, with the opportunity to salvage for yourself from 1-2pm. Additional volunteers will be needed from 2-4pm to plant the plants at Illahee Trail. I will be contacting registered volunteers mid-week to let them know of the salvage location.

To register go to these links:

Native Plant Salvage from 9am to 1pm

Planting at Illahee Trail from 2pm - 4pm

Other volunteer opportunities:

April 6 - Invasive Removal at SE 8^th Street Park – 9am – 12pm

April 20 – Earth Day Celebration 10am – 1pm


May 18 – Invasive removal and park clean up at Sammamish Landing

 

King County Weed News March 2013

KC Weed News - March 2013

King County, WA

Topics Below.  See web page for details:  (http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/animalsAndPlants/noxious-weeds/weed-news.aspx)
 

• Weed of the Month: Shiny Geranium (Geranium lucidum)
• Weed Tips for March
• Changes to the King County Noxious Weed List
• Holly control research provides tips on effective methods
• Sign up for professional noxious weed recertification seminars
• Where to find our weed info booth this spring
• Valuable New Weed Control Reference Book for Western United States
• Ivy-Free Vashon offers ivy control workshop on March 23
• Green Kent Partnership Growing and Adding New Stewards
• Green Kirkland is Fighting Hard to Save Kirkland’s Forests from Invasive Plants
• Take action to save Puget Sound
• Pesticide survey coming to Puget Sound residents
• Levels of several pesticides declining in salmon-bearing streams
• The Center for Invasive Species Management offers a series of webinars on invasive plant management in natural areas

Welcome to the 2013 Savvy Gardener Classes!

Please join us for our Spring classes – March through June – throughout King County. All classes are free and guaranteed fun.

Check out new topics such as food forests, drip irrigation design, landscape planning for the advanced gardener and creating gardens without automatic irrigation.

Please note that most of these classes require pre-registration through Brown Paper Tickets. Just click on the link for each class and register online or call Brown Paper Tickets for friendly help. These classes are brought to you by the Saving Water Partnership, Cascade Water Alliance and the many local water utilities that comprise these organizations.

Classes held in Sammamish:

Favorite Northwest Natives for Sun and Shade
Greg Rabourn, Educator, radio personality
Add beautiful color, texture and wildlife benefits to your garden by incorporating stunning northwest natives. Greg Rabourn will show you different plants that will thrive in sunny hot spots or shady corners. Follow Greg's tips and you will be amazed at the birds and butterflies that visit your garden while also reducing your yard maintenance.

• Saturday, June 8; 10am-11:15am
  Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District
  1510 228th Ave. SE, Sammamish
  Register Online | Phone: 1-800-838-3006

Sustainable Garden Design
Jessi Bloom, Owner and lead designer of N.W. Bloom EcoLogical Landscapes
Landscapes and gardens offer a wealth of benefits if designed and managed well. Jessica will teach you how to look at your garden as an ecosystem and explore the possibilities to make your space more sustainable. She will cover building healthy soils, good design and planning, as well as proper maintenance strategies to reduce work while preserving our natural resources. The class will go through the design process, how to choose plants and prioritize uses for your space. You’ll see examples of beautiful, sustainable landscapes for inspiration. After taking this class you will have the tools to begin a journey towards making your own garden more sustainable.

• Saturday, June 8; 11:30am-12:45pm
  Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District
  1510 228th Ave. SE, Sammamish
  Register Online | Phone: 1-800-838-3006

Wildlife-Friendly Gardening for Beauty and Sustainability
Emily Bishton, Landscape designer and environmental educator
Welcome songbirds, butterflies, and beneficial insects into your yard while conserving natural resources at the same time. Discover how urban wildlife can provide you with year-round natural pest and weed control and better pollination. Then, learn about design techniques and maintenance practices that can attract and nurture beneficial wildlife in your garden for years to come.

Saturday, June 8; 1pm-2:30pm
Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District
1510 228th Ave. SE, Sammamish
Register Online | Phone: 1-800-838-3006

 

Many more classes in Issaquah, Redmond and the surrounding area.  Please see the Savvy Gardener web page for more details:  

http://www.savingwater.org/savvygardener/

 

 

 

Tired of that long drive on 520 during rush hour to attend WNPS meetings?  A new sub chapter of the Central Puget Sound Chapter is forming and meeting in Issaquah!

 

Eastside Sub-Chapter Event

Wednesday evening, March 27, from 6:00-8:00pm the newly forming Eastside Sub-Chapter of the CPS-WNPS is hosting a panel discussion and Q&A session on gardening with native plants. The panel will feature several knowledgeable and experienced native plant gardeners who will give short presentations and then answer your native plant questions. This event will be held in the King County Library System Service Center, 960 Newport Way NW in Issaquah. Everyone is welcome to this FREE event.  If you have any questions, or if you would like to volunteer to bring snacks, help with set-up or take-down, or greet and direct people at the door, please contact  Bonnie Harpel, Gidget142@gmail.com or (425) 449-1545.