Snoqualmie Tribe helps restore historic habitat to Fall City park
March 23, 2011
By Dan Catchpole
The Snoqualmie Tribe has started work on the second phase of its ecosystem restoration project at Fall City Community Park. Volunteers from the community and the tribe lent a hand for the work.
The park, which sits on the Snoqualmie River, has historic significance to the tribe, according to Cindy Spiry, director of the tribe’s Environmental and Natural Resources Department.
Traditionally, American Indians hunted, fished, congregated and lived along the river. There were fish, wildlife, berries and other native plants that the Snoqualmies used for food and medicine.
Volunteers from the Snoqualmie Tribe restore the ecosystem at Fall City Community Park. By Dan Catchpole
Today, the tribe is attempting to restore the area’s historic habitat by planting native plants, including species that can be harvested.
“Our goal is to restore the healthy habitat to the park as well as to restore the traditional harvest grounds, so that tribal members will be able to walk the trail at the park and harvest the berries that once were abundant here,” Spiry said.
The project also aims to enhance the river’s habitat, used by chinook salmon while spawning.
Money for the project comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency via the Puget Sound Partnership, which included the project in its action agenda. The EPA is a member of the partnership.
The restoration project is expected to cost about $380,000, which includes planning, planting, maintenance and monitoring.
It is expected to take at least four years to complete, although Spiry said her department would apply for money to prolong the monitoring.
About 75 volunteers from the community and tribe came out March 5 for a workday. They planted more than 2,000 native plants.
The day included an environmental fair, and several groups offered classes and demonstrations for participants. Ethnobotanist and Carnation resident Heidi Bohan showed how to propagate plants. SnoValley Tilth, the Snoqualmie Watershed Forum, the King County Noxious Weeds Program and Mountains to Sound Greenway also took part in the fair.
Tribal members demonstrated traditional woodcarving and performed a ceremony.
In 2001, tribal artifacts were uncovered in the park’s meadow.
“Historically, it was the location of a village,” Spiry said. “There’s a real connection to that area for the Snoqualmie people.”
The park became a point of contention in recent years between the tribe and Fall City residents. The tribe offered to take over the park for King County in 2009, when the county was facing budget problems.
Fall City residents voted to create a parks district to take over control of the park. At the time, some residents cited concerns that the tribe would limit public access or even swap the park for land located elsewhere.
Dan Catchpole: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com.
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