Reminder: Celebrate Earth Day by volunteering for work parties in Edmonds parks April 23

Volunteers hard at work yanking blackberries during an Earth Day cleanup in 2021. (File photo by Larry Vogel)

Looking for a way to make a difference in your community in honor of Earth Day? Join your friends and neighbors to help remove invasive plants, plant native trees, and remove litter in Edmonds parks.

Earth Day is Friday, April 22, and the city will be hosting work parties on Saturday, April 23 from 10 a.m.-noon at four different city parks. Work will include planting 100 trees at Yost Park, pulling invasive ivy and Japanese honeysuckle in Pine Ridge Park, and removing litter from Marina Beach and Brackett’s Landing parks.

Participants will work under the leadership of city staff and Sound Salmon Solutions’ volunteer Edmonds Stewards, who have been leading volunteer stewardship events in Edmonds since 2015. No experience is necessary and training will be provided.

During the work parties, participants will have the opportunity to participate in the #greenedmonds campaign by making a public pledge to take personal action to fight climate change.

All ages are welcome, with the exception of Yost Park, where participants must be a minimum of 13 years old due to safety concerns. Minors under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Details regarding the work parties, how to prepare and a list of items to bring, are included on the Sound Salmon Solutions’ events page at www.soundsalmonsolutions.org/events. Participation is free, but space is limited and pre-registration is required.

If you’re not able to join a city-hosted work party, the city suggests there are still many ways you can help: picking up litter that would otherwise wash into storm drains, planting native plants in your own yard, or committing to doing away with single-use plastics like water bottles.

Earth Day in Edmonds Parks is presented by the City of Edmonds Parks, Recreation, Cultural and Human Services Department, the Edmonds Citizens’ Tree Board, the Edmonds Youth Commission, and Sound Salmon Solutions’ Edmonds Stewards. For further information, contact Jennifer Leach, program soordinator, at Jennifer.Leach@edmondswa.gov.

  1. Southwest County Park is not yet a City of Edmonds park, but the Edmonds Ivy League will host ivy pulling events in the park both April 22nd & 23rd, 10am – 1pm. We’ll met up in the parking lot and head into the park at 10am.
    Dresscode: long sleeves and long leg pants, hiking boots, gardening gloves. Pruners if you have.
    EdmondsIvyLeague@gmail.com

    1. Where is SouthWest Park. Is that Yost? If so why isn’t it a an Edmonds City Park. IF this is Yost and I read the guidelines for working in there and it said no one under 18 allowed with out parents or an adult? It said no one under 13??? It said it is too dangerous…So is it now closed to the public until safe to be in? I am just trying to figure it out. I may help in someway but need more detail. Thank you to anyone who knows.

  2. It seems to have different names in different places, but the correct name is Southwest County Park – it is the largest park in Edmonds, straddling Olympic View Drive, close to Perrinville. Follow this link to see where: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Southwest+County+Park/@47.8362514,-122.3423764,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x549004d3a8d6eaa1:0xf637d495d0b4015!8m2!3d47.8362514!4d-122.3401877
    If you haven’t been there, you are missing out. Yost is 44 acres, with a large part allocated to the pool etc. SWCP is 120 acres – all forest land with a creek running through it. It’s precious space that need to be cared for.

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