Restoration at Lake Sammamish State Park (with guest speaker Commissioner Upthegrove)

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Date & Time
Saturday, September 12, 2026 | 10am-1pm
Location
Lake Sammamish State Park
Event Overview
Join us at Lake Sammamish State Park to remove Himalayan blackberry along Issaquah Creek. These efforts help sustain a healthier native plant habitat and help restore riparian corridors affecting the salmon that swim in Issaquah Creek!

We will also be joined by the Commissioner of Public Lands, Dave Upthegrove, who will share a bit about the importance of public lands today.

Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove has dedicated his life and career to public service and our public lands. After studying environmental science and energy policy in college and graduate school, he began his career in public service at the Washington statehouse, representing the working-class suburbs of South King County in the Washington House of Representatives for over a decade. He then went on to serve on King County Council for 12 years, where he advanced sustainable policies across the largest county in Washington State.

As Commissioner, he leads the Department of Natural Resources and its 2,200 employees working on the frontlines of Washington's most urgent environmental challenges, from climate change to forest management to wildfires. He has successfully navigated the agency through an uncertain period at both the state and federal levels and has initiated new, innovative forest management strategies in tens of thousands of acres of Washington's structurally complex and older forests.
Difficulty
Moderate
Age Restriction
Open to all ages. Participants under 13 years old must be accompanied by an adult.
What to Bring

For safety, volunteers are required to wear:

  • Long pants made of sturdy material
  • Sturdy, close-toed shoes
  • Gloves (provided)

In addition, we recommend that participants bring:

  • Warm layers, especially during the fall, winter, and spring
  • Rain gear
  • Snacks for breaks
  • Long sleeved shirt
  • At least one full water bottle
  • Small daypack for food, extra layers, etc…
Driving Directions

From I-90 eastbound, take exit 15. Turn left on NW 17th. Continue on as rd becomes NW Sammamish Rd (road bends to the right). You’ll pass the parking lot on your left, but you will have to continue down the road in order to turn around. Make a U-turn left at 10th Ave into the Animal Hospital parking lot (or right into the Pickering Shopping Complex) to turn around. Heading back the way you came on NW Sammamish, turn right into the small soccer field parking lot.

Look for Greenway Event signs.

Google maps: https://goo.gl/maps/e7RfujNjtHUb4UJA8

Google Map

Additional Information

Washington State Parks and the Mountains to Sound Greenway are partnering together on the multi-year restoration of Lake Sammamish State Park. The State Park provides important habitat for several species of salmon, many birds – including bald eagles, great blue herons, and red tailed hawks – and a wide variety of amphibians, insects and other wildlife, making this a great spot not only for recreating but for wildlife viewing opportunities as well. 


Up until 2019, this section of the park was a field of thriving himalayan blackberry. Since then, and with funding from King County One Million Trees initiative, the Greenway Trust was able to transform this field into a young forest -- with the help of many hands, of course. From professional restoration crews, contractors, and over 3000 volunteers in counting, this native forest was planted to help enhance the riparian buffer of Issaquah Creek. Join the Greenway in continuing restoring this area of the park by planting native trees and continuing to clear invasive species!

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