Home Page (2011–2014) · Friends of Madrona Woods

From the original madronawoods.org, last updated February 12, 2014. Archived as written. Some details, names and links may be out of date.

Nature Takes its Course
February 2014

Those of us who have invested so much in the Madrona Woods restoration are getting a grand payoff now as we watch nature take over where we’ve provided openings in the woods, the ravine, and the natural area. The plants we put in are growing and creating lush landscapes and habitat. Madrona Park Creek is flowing through the scenic ponds and into the lake, giving us its lovely sound and providing nutrients for migrating salmon fingerlings. And we thrill to the wonderful self-regeneration of native plants happening in some parts of the woods that have been cleared of invasives: thimbleberry in the meadow, bunches of trilliums popping up in unexpected places in early spring, and swaths of Oregon grape and salal filling in all over.
We hope many of you are enjoying the beauty and growing diversity with us. Put a walk through the woods or cove on your summer agenda. Let me know if you’d like a guide to help you identify plants and to discover where to look for particular favorites. Or go to Friends and then Gallery on www.madronawoods.org, to find pictures of native plants in the different seasons.
Our planters par excellence over the past year have been Ann, Deirdre, and Peter. Deirdre and Peter have tackled the steep slopes which are hard for many to access. Deirdre has planted around 1,500 natives, and Peter has planted close to that number, many of which he propagated himself. Many thanks to them for their dedication and hard work.

With the restoration of the southern edge of Madrona Woods over the last year, significantly augmented by the Friends of the Cedar River Watershed, the first phase of the overall restoration is complete. Now the task is maintenance, which will never be finished. Our monthly work parties will concentrate on weeding, pruning, trail maintenance, and some replanting where greater coverage is needed.
Congratulations are in Order

Three of our Friends of Madrona Woods team have received awards over the last few of years. Congratulations to Joan Scott for her Lifetime Resident Award from the Madrona Community Council on Neighborhood Appreciation Day in 2010. Her tireless efforts on behalf of Madrona Woods for 14 years, especially at the thankless job of treasurer for the last ten, were rightfully recognized. Deirdre McCrary received the Tyrone Love Unsung Hero Award for service to other in the larger community on Neighborhood Appreciation Day in 2013, also richly deserved.

And our landscape architect, Peg Gaynor of Gaynor, Inc., won two of the top three honor awards in the design category given by the Washington Chapter of the American Association of Landscape Architects in 2009. The jury said the Madrona Woods restoration was “impressive for its consistent long-term effort; it has been an 11-year collaborative engagement between the landscape architect and a community of hundreds of volunteers. Equally impressive is the quality of the result. The accomplishments are formidable, including habitat restoration, landscape stabilization, trail construction, bridges and water features.” Gaynor Inc.’s other award was for Conceptual Design and being part of SVR Design Team for the Thornton Creek Water Quality Channel at Northgate.

Thanks and Farewell
June 2010

We bid a fond farewell to students who have been working with us throughout the school year. Lauren Honican from Garfield and Letha Penhale from Nathan Hale came faithfully on the second Sunday of each month to remove invasives, mulch, and plant native plants along the sidewalk between Spring Street and Lake Washington Boulevard. They made a tremendous difference. We enjoyed working with them and are most grateful.

Our UW Capstone team of Kim Jones, Frosty Hance, and Jason Saura tackled the steep hillside west of Lake Washington Boulevard, working with groups of volunteers to remove invasives, apply jute netting to the steepest portions, and plant and mulch on the slope and ridge above. They also made a huge difference, and we will miss working and learning with them.

We are extremely grateful to Mimi Kraus for her generous bequest to enhance Madrona’s parks and recreational facilities and to the Madrona Community Council for its allotment of $25,300 to Madrona Woods. We’re glad to be able to pay off debst incurred during the stream daylighting project and to be able to hire professiona help to take up where the Capstone team left off clearing and planting along the Boulevard.