MGRC Update for 2004 and Beginning of 2005

A long awaited update. We've been so busy this past year moving forward with our projects that there has been less time to send out updates, etc.

We have some successes and we've had some setbacks but all in all its been a great year in 2004. Now moving into 2005 we are looking forward to building upon our success.

2005 Update

The Only Real Setback for 2005 is that Icy Creek is Still Unprotected

This last year we have had a set back on our goal of acquiring the Icy Creek property. King County did an appraisal of the property and made an offer to the landowner. The landowner felt that it was well below market value and no agreement could be reached. In an effort to preserve funding and keep it in the Green River watershed $150,000 dollars was moved from the Icy Creek project to another project in the area. Our hope is to recover that funding in the near future.

It has been a constant struggle to keep Icy Creek on the priority list with King County and others. There are many projects out there competing with each other and unless south King County gains a more influencial political voice we may loose much of the funding that is available for open space to other areas that have a stronger influence at the King County, the State, and other granting agencies. I urge all of you to contact your elected officials and create a resounding voice that south King County has some unique areas that need to be preserved. We are experiencing the same development pressures as the rest of the county and have a need to protect some of our most valuable open space areas including the Green River Gorge.

State Parks to Receive IAC grant in State Parks Category

State Parks is fairly sure they will receive their IAC grant to purchase additional land in along the Green River Gorge in their Green River Gorge Preservation Plan.

Executive Director, Lisa Parsons, Nominated to Serve on the King County (CFT) Conservation Futures Citizen's Committee for District 9.

Lisa Parsons has been appointed to serve on the CFT Citizen's Committee. This is an honor and a great responsibility to be able to help preserve land in King County through the CFT process. I look forward to participating in the process and learning more about other projects in King County.

Icy Creek Featured in National "Trust for Public Land" Magazine

Icy Creek was featured in an article in Trust for Public Land Magazine's spring 2005 publication. A national publication that TPL publishes. The article is called "Conservation by Computer". It discusses the collaboration between King County and Trust for Public Land to inventory and prioritize open space in King County. This collaboration enabled King County and TPL to do a thorough inventory of ecologically significant lands in King County and prioritize them. We hope that this article will draw attention to the need to preserve Icy Creek as well as other important areas to protect our most valuable ecological resources for wildlife, salmon, and communities.

MGRC Announces New Board Member Jane O'Niel

Jane O'Niel is passionate about the Green River Gorge. In fact she has been a ranger for State Parks for 25 years in the Gorge. She brings her love of the area and her 25 years of experience as a ranger to our board of directors. Jane also lives in the area and is concerned about the loss of open space in once rural communities. We welcome her!

Bass Lake— Summer and Fall Photo Exhibit

MGRC has been working with King County the past few years to preserve land around Bass, Beaver, and Dandy Lake. This year's photo exhibit at the Enumclaw Chamber Gallery 2005 will be of Bass Lake in the summer and fall. Bass Lake is a unique jewel located between Enumclaw and Black Diamond just west of hwy 169. It has the most diversity of song bird species in King County. Its shores are lined with wetland plants that are home to many bird species. There is an abundance of amphibeans and also a resident river otter.

Exhibit June 1st - June 30th
Opening June 3rd, 7pm - 8:15pm
1339 Griffin St
Enumclaw Wa.
360-825-3594-


Photo Books Available for Purchase. Profits benefit MGRC

Lisa Parsons has created 3 photo books with images of the Green River Gorge and surrounding area. Each book is a hard bound cover and 20 different images. Currently they are for purchase for $50.00 which includes the book and shipping directly to you.

Photo Books will be on display at Photo Exhibit Openings and at Mountain Treasures in Black Diamond.

Green River Gorge, A Visual Journey
Winter on the Gorge
Bass Lake— Summer and Fall

Contact mgrc@mgrc.org if you are interested or visit Mountain Treasures in Black Diamond.


2005 Green River Clean-Up a Success

Friends of the Green along with Washington Whitewater River Runners has another successful Green River Clean-up. The Army Corp of Engineers agreed to open the dam and allow enough water for kayakers and rafters to run the river and pick up trash along the shores. Although a little low the river was runnable. At the end of a long day the two groups hosted a Barbeque at Flaming Geyser State Park which is the take out point for the clean-up. Everyone enjoyed themselves and I've heard more interest than every in particpating in next year's event. For a look at this year's clean-up you can visit Lisa Parson's personal website at:

Thanks to Pat Sumption for her continuing work on the Green as a board member and founder of both Friends of the Green and Middle Green River Coalition.

2004 Update

2004 CFT grants recieved for:

— Covington which will add open space in the city
— In city timber rights for the city of Black Diamond which will protect the scenic qualities of the south hill on the eastside of hwy 169 near Jones lake.
— Bass / Beaver Lake Complex will protect habitat that supports one of the most diverse species of songbirds in King County.

MGRC Recieved a Small Change Grant from King County for Website Development

We will be updating our website to make it more interactive. The reason we haven't been updating the site is we've been waiting to add more features to make the site more dynamic and user interactive. Stay tuned for changes......

MGRC Partners with Department of Fish and Wildlife on IAC grant

MGRC partnered with Department of Fish and Wildlife to apply for an State IAC grant for Icy Creek property. While we didn't get funding this go around it does showcase the partnerships possible between local citizen's and government agencies in protecting open space in south King County. Many thanks to the staff at Department of Fish and Wildlife who participated in the grant process. A special thanks to Kye Iris for moving the project forward, Lee Kantor for doing field research and being the lead on the grant, and Brody Antipa, local DFW Fisheries, for supporting the project and helping us get assistance from DFW. We are looking forward to continuing to work with DFW in the future.

Also on another note. I will have to say I have a greater appreciation for the King County Conservation Futures grant process as a result of going through the IAC grant process. While the IAC grant process is thorough and fair it is far more time consuming that the CFT grant process. King County has done a wonderful job with streamlining the application process making it relatively effortless for local cities and King County to apply for funding for critical areas.

Green River Gorge, A Visual Journey Photo Exhibit

Lisa Parson's photo exhibit "Green River Gorge, A Visual Journey" was featured at the Enumclaw Chamber Gallery, the Enumclaw Art Walk, and the Enumclaw library in 2004. She also had a "Winter in the Gorge" Photo show in January at the Enumclaw Chamber Gallery. She will also be showing a photo exhibit "Bass Lake, Summer and Fall" at the Enumclaw Chamber Gallery in during the month of June. Her Green River Gorge, A Visual Journey exhibit will be showing at the Covington Chamber Gallery during the month of September. Check website for details.

MGRC Co-hosts a Middle Green River Watershed Tour with King County and WRIA9 in June

The van tour took the committee to view many of the springs that feed cold clear water into the Green River. These included Black Diamond springs, Palmer springs, Green River Gorge resort springs, and Icy Creek. They also toured Deep Lake and newly built Howard Hanson Dam fish passage facility. Thanks Dennis Clark from the WRIA9 Committee for doing most of the organizing for this event. We would also like to thank New York Catering provided the food for the days event and Kathy Kombol organized the lunch.

MGRC Takes Washington Hydrologic Society Out on a Tour of Green River Springs

The Washington Hydrologic Society did one of the annual outings to view the cold water springs that feed the Green River. One comment from a member of the committee was that the spring system that feeds the Green on the south side of the river is a fairly unique system.

Howard Botts from the city of Black Diamond gave a tour of the Black Diamond springs in their watershed. They actually have 3 springs that they draw from.

MGRC Gives Tour of Icy Creek to Group of 20 Home School Children

20 Home school children along with many of their parents toured Icy Creek springs and learned about the importance of the cold water feeding into the river and the role in plays in helping to maintain viable salmon habitat in the Green River system. As always kids bring a sense of fun and adventure to the outing as well as an enthusiasm for learning.

MGRC Volunteers Help Facilitate Workshops at King County Watershed Workshop

Greg Wingard and Lisa Parsons facilitated some of the workshops at the 2004 Watershed Workshop hosted by King County. Many community organizations were present to share information on strategies that have worked for them on their projects.

MGRC Reaches Out to Public through Numerous Presentations

2004 was a busy year for us as we did public outreach to local cities, and community groups. Our public presentations were well received by all. Greg Wingard, who was a boyscout, even gave a presentation to a local scout group. Who knows if those early outings as a boyscout led to his life long work to preserve open space in south King County.

If you would like to have MGRC give a presentation to your community or organization please contact us at mgrc@mgrc.org


Stay tuned for (hopefully )more good news to come in the near future.........