Stewards of Forest Park (SOFP) is a community group working at Forest Park in Everett, WA to restore and maintain the forest and to learn about nature in the process. The first restoration work party was on May 5, 2007.
Forest Park is located at 802 E. Mukilteo Blvd. It is Everett's oldest and largest park, at about 100 acres. In addition to trails and the forest, it also contains a swim center, an animal farm, playgrounds, offices, tennis and basketball courts, horseshoes and picnic areas.
Finishing up after a work party. Photo courtesy of Steve K. Marl.
During work parties, we remove invasive species such as English ivy, holly, laurel, herb-robert and Himalayan blackberries. These species take over areas, out-compete native plants, and provide little value to wildlife depending on native plants for food and shelter. English ivy even climbs up into the canopy and harms trees by adding weight and making them more susceptible to disease. Ivy covering the understory provides good habitat for rats!
In addition to removing invasives, we are currently looking into ways of obtaining native plants to establish in the place of invasives. We also find and remove garbage that we find in the park.
A pile of ivy and other invasive species before being removed after the September 1st work party.
Photo Courtesy John Davis.