April, 2024

April Newsletter

The flowers are beginning to bloom and the weather is holding a bit more warmth as we march into Spring this April. At the start of this new season, we here at FLSSP are beginning to plan our social calendar for the busy summer months ahead at Lake Sammamish State Park. One of those fun social events, Walk n’ Wag, is just around the corner and we would love for you to join the celebration of our furry friends on May 4th from 10am to 2pm. On Earth Day weekend, April 20th , we welcome you to come help FLSSP continue to improve the riparian environment of Tibbetts Creek by mulching, caging young trees, and pulling out non-native plants at our restoration site. We are also hosting a City Nature Challenge event at Lake Sammamish State Park, April 27th from 2 – 4pm where we will put the biodiversity of Lake Sammamish State Park on the map for the Seattle region. We are planning so many more fun community events in the months ahead and we look forward to seeing you at the Park this Spring and Summer!

Warmly,

Jayme Jonas

President, FLSSP

Join us for Walk n’ Wag May 4th 10 – 2pm

Looking for a tail waggin’ good time? Then don’t miss Walk n’ Wag 2024! Join us at Lake Sammamish State Park Meadow Shelter on Saturday, May 4th from 10 – 2pm for all the furry fun. This fuzzy friend event will feature music from Warm 106.9, a trail walk, and Doggie Village where you might find some

fun new toys for your furry family members. We will have food, a beer garden and the fantastic Banner Bank Pet Show that you won’t want to miss! All proceeds from Walk n’ Wag go towards growing Lake Sammamish State Park into an urban oasis for you and your family. So if you are looking to wag a bit more, register here today! Each $20 “Bark Pass” includes 3K walk entry for 1 dog and 2 humans (additional humans $5 extra), an entry to the pet show, and your choice of swag item: bandana, Frisbee or collapsible water bowl, as well as giveaways from our partners.

Thank you to all of our incredible 2024 Walk n’ Wag sponsors: Alpine Animal Hospital, Klahanie Pet Pros, Michaels Subaru of Bellevue and Banner Bank; our media sponsor, Warm 106.9; and our prize sponsors: All the Best Pet Care and Pickles Playland.

To help make Walk n’ Wag a success, we also need volunteers for some stations. If you are interested in volunteering for Walk n’ Wag 2024, please fill out the volunteer form here. We have various roles and can accommodate many schedules. Some roles would be great for teens or scout groups!

Last Call for Walk n Wag Vendors! Vendor Registration Closes April 5th

Walk n’ Wag is just around the corner on Saturday, May 4th from 10 – 2pm at Lake Sammamish State

Park. If your business offers fun furry-friend treats, toys, information or other items like animal portraits,

pet themed jewelry or paintings that you would like to showcase in our Doggie Village, please register today for a booth space. Vendor registration closes April 5th so don’t wait! We would love for you to join

us for Walk n’ Wag 2024 and showcase your products or services. Register here for a booth space.

GiveBig 2024 for Lake Sammamish State Park and Adopt a Tree

What is better than your name in lights? Your name on a tree! Adopt a tree during GiveBig in support of FLSSP’s goal of raising $3500 to meet our mission to improve the natural environment in Lake Sammamish State Park for fish, wildlife and people. Your GiveBig donation will go directly to supporting the riparian restoration and continued maintenance of a 1.5+ acre site along salmon-bearing Tibbetts Creek. For a donation of $25, you can “adopt” one of the 160+ trees and native shrubs in our restoration site and from Mid-May through Mid-June you can come to the Park to search for your name and tree! Join your community in supporting our efforts to make Lake Sammamish State Park an urban refuge; adopt a tree in 2024!

Co-existing with Carnivores Event – April 3rd 5:30 – 7:30pm at Tibbetts Manor in Issaquah

Join FLSSP at the Co-existing with Carnivores event April 3rd from 5:30- 7:30 pm at Tibbetts Manor in Issaquah. FLSSP will be hosting a table at the event where we will be learning about how to share our

home with the native wildlife like bears and coyotes. We will hear from a panel of professionals and experts that will discuss animal biology, their role in our local ecosystems, and how city initiatives are influenced by coexistence and empathy. Register to join this incredible learning opportunity and don’t forget to stop by and say hi at our table!

City Nature Challenge at Lake Sammamish State Park – April 27th 2 – 4 pm Meet at Sunset Beach

Join FLSSP Board Member, Dan Hintz, to help put Lake Sammamish State Park on the map for the City Nature Challenge. The City Nature Challenge runs from April 26-29th and participating in the challenge helps us all better understand the biodiversity in our cities, region and broader area as well as develop empathy for coexisting with plants and animals. It is amazing what we can discover when we work together to map the biodiversity around us. We will be using the iNaturalist app so we recommend downloading the app (located on the Apple App Store or Google Play) to your smartphone before the event. Once the app is set up, go to Projects and search for “City Nature Challenge 2024: Seattle-Tacoma Metropolitan Area.”

To learn more about the City Nature Challenge, please visit the website here and register today to join FLSSP to map the biodiversity in Lake Sammamish State Park.

Help the City of Issaquah Better Understand Its Urban Forest Management Needs: Survey Closes April 14th

The City of Issaquah is seeking public input to develop its Urban Forest Management Plan. A healthy

urban forest is imperative to a more resilient, sustainable, and vibrant city. The Urban Forest Management Plan, created using your input from this survey, will be used to not only assess the current condition of Issaquah’s Forest, but also to identify actions to help sustain a resilient urban forest for generations to come. The public survey closes April 14th so please add your voice today!

Park News

The construction at Sunset Beach will largely finish in mid-April! Over the last several months, crews have been improving ADA paths throughout this portion of the park, rebuilding and enlarging aged picnic shelters, adding “hover shelters” near the playground, and adding several ADA-accessible picnic pads. Landscaping will follow after construction wraps up. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more updates on progress and how FLSSP (and YOU!) can help finish up these park improvements!

Upcoming FLSSP Events

April 20th 10am – 12pm: Join FLSSP on Earth Day Weekend to continue working to restore habitat near Tibbetts Creek. Please register here for the event.

April 27th 2pm– 4pm: Join FLSSP Board Member, Dan Hintz, to help put Lake Sammamish State Park on the map for the City Nature Challenge. Please register here for the event.

May 4th 10am – 2pm: Don’t miss our 8th annual Walk n Wag! See the schedule, learn more and register here.

Upcoming Partner Events

April 17th 1 – 3 pm :

Join IATC and Dan Hintz, FLSSP Board Member and Urban Forest Supervisor for the City of Issaquah, on a guided hike along Pickering Reach of Issaquah Creek to explore how riparian areas and wetlands are critical habitats for plant and wildlife diversity in the face of climate change. Please visit the IATC events page and register to attend here.

April 20th noon – 4 pm:

After joining FLSSP restoration event, jump on over to the Issaquah Fish Hatchery and continue the Earth Day celebration by writing a good luck letter to the Salmon being released in May! To learn more visit the Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery page.

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