Friends of Green Lake is sponsoring volunteer work parties the first Saturday morning of each month, from 9:00 to noon, in partnership with Seattle City Parks. On Sat morning Nov 6, twenty-one enthusiastic volunteers grabbed rakes and donned chest-waders or boots and gloves to remove invasive Eurasian water milfoil from the shallow water and shoreline of Green Lake at the embayment just north of the paddle-boat rental, where the milfoil is usually especially dense. But since the wind had shifted in the prior few days, much of the milfoil was blown offshore into deep water where we couldn’t get at it.
The milfoil on the shoreline and in shallow water was quickly gathered, so volunteers continued with the important work of cutting and uprooting blackberries, English ivy and bindweed along the shoreline to the north and west, including part of the Gaines Point.
December 4 is the next work party, when we will start removal of a large blackberry patch just north of the split rail fence on the southeast quadrant of the Lake (counter clockwise from the golf course). Please pre-register for Dec 4 at FriendsofGL@gmail.com, so we know how many volunteers will need tools such as loppers and heavy rakes, for cutting and uprooting blackberries and ivy.
Unlike our previous work parties, you will not get your feet wet on Dec. 4, but it may be cold and/or rainy; so please dress for the weather. And the blackberries have fierce thorns, so wear clothes and boots to protect yourself from punctures. If the weather is really miserable, we will cancel. There won’t be any work party in Jan, because the first Sat is a holiday.
We greatly appreciate all the hard work our many volunteers have donated to improve Green Lake’s shoreline habitat. Photos courtesy of Gail Barker.
[tribulant_slideshow gallery_id=”9″]