LYNNWOOD — Before Snohomish County bought a patch of Lake Stickney shoreline to keep as a natural area, officials wanted to make sure people living in the area would take a leading stewardship role.
Joyce Altaras, who worked hard to prevent development on the lake’s western shore, promised she would. Now, Altaras and her neighbors are ready to back up her promise. The first of two work parties is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, followed by another on Oct. 30.
“The parks department asked me if we bought this, would our neighborhood be the stewards?” said Altaras, the president of the Lake Stickney Conservancy. “I said absolutely. This is our way of giving back.”
The plan for Sunday is to meet at 13521 Manor Way in Lynnwood, then to work from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Anybody who participates should bring protective clothing, leather gloves and boots. Everybody is encouraged to bring their own pruners and to mark them by name so they don’t get lost.
Several sponsors are chipping in: Starbucks with coffee and pastries, Albertsons supermarket with fruit, La Palmera Mexican restaurant with soft drinks and Wal-Mart with water and snacks.
Snohomish County doubled the land it owns on the western side of Lake Stickney in March, when it closed a $1.8 million deal for 7 acres. The county bought the property using conservation futures, property-tax money that can only be used to buy land for preservation.
The county land on Lake Stickney is intended as a future park that will mainly serve as a conservation area, with minimal development. For now, no public access is allowed.
The 24-acre lake flows into Swamp Creek, the Sammamish River and eventually to Lake Washington. The conservation area is expected to improve water quality downstream.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465, nhaglund@heraldnet.com.
Work parties
Volunteers have planned two work parties to clear away invasive plants and garbage at Snohomish County’s future Lake Stickney Park:
* Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
* Oct. 30, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The meeting place is 13521 Manor Way, Lynnwood. More parking is available by driving north past three driveways.
Register with REI Alderwood mall’s stewardship website, http://www.rei.com/event/10561/session/13082. For more information, call the Lake Stickney Conservancy at 425-742-1178.
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