Alexa's Cafe in downtown Bothell is opening up for the evening on Thursday, 11/17 for a special benefit night for Friends of North Creek Forest. Stop by for drinks, dinner, or just dessert and 20% of your bill will help support us! Great food and fantastic company for a terrific cause! We hope to see you there - all ages welcome!

Since Alexa's isn't typically open during the evening, your RSVP will help them plan for the event. Please take a moment to RSVP below.

By Cathy Ferbrache, FNCF Board Member

On a gorgeous September afternoon over 60 people gathered in the backyard of Jeanie and Tom Robinson to celebrate what their support helped to accomplish in North Creek Forest and to learn more about the work ahead. There was time for socializing and enjoying homemade appetizers and Northwest wines before going on tours of the forest, led by Dr. Warren Gold and some of his UW Restoration Ecology Network students (UW-REN). Prior to the tours participants studied bark samples prepared by Carolyn Freese so that, once in the forest, they could ID western redcedar, Douglas-fir, maple, dogwood and alder. 
 

Armed with their knowledge of each tree’s particular bark, the first stop was a mature part of the Forest with lots of evergreen trees, shade, and little understory. Tourists divided into small groups and each group measured the circumference of two trees. Using an online scientific model called the National Tree Benefit Calculator, student leaders calculated the pounds of carbon captured by their trees (in one group a maple tree captured 585 lbs. and a slightly smaller Douglas-fir took in 347 lbs. of carbon per year). An average mid-size car emits 11,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide every year. It would take about 20 Big Leaf Maples or 31 Douglas-firs of this size to offset one average gas-powered car’s annual carbon emissions. Dr. Gold described this as an example of “ecological economics” which puts human values (often in dollar terms that people can relate to most easily) on the ecosystem services that trees provide. Among many things, trees stabilize slopes, retain water runoff, provide wildlife habitat, restore human connection with the earth, and sequester carbon.

A second tour stop was an area where, from one to two years earlier, UW-REN students did extensive restoration. Here there was more light and heat and more understory growth of Nootka Rose, Salmonberry, and conifers just starting to take root and grow. Though the vegetation in the restored area captures only a fraction of carbon compared to the big trees in the more mature part of the forest, this careful restoration assures the future of the forest and the ecological services that it provides.

After returning to the Robinson’s backyard, Dr. Gold debriefed participants and noted that, in the face of habitat and species extinctions, people gathering to support and learn more about this forest gives him hope for the future. Bothell’s Mayor Andy Rheaume spoke about the huge local interest from the community to preserve open spaces like North Creek Forest. His hope is that this consciousness about the value of trees will shape nature-friendly development as the local population soars.

We are happy to report that to date, the fundraiser has raised more than $10,500! Your generosity was met with over $9,500 in matching funds, for a grand total of more than $20,000! Additional contributions, of any amount, are still welcome, and we have $500 to go to max out the matching funds. Donations of $250 or more, or any Forest Keeper recurring contribution will be matched at its total annual amount (e.g. a contribution of just $10/month will receive a match of $120). Gifts must be made (or pledged) by the end of September. We only need a few more donations to meet our goal! Thank you for your generosity and your support of this important work in North Creek Forest. 

Update: We are now just $124 short of our goal for matchable funds! Just one more recurring contribution of $11/month will exceed our goal and maximize the match!

We hope you can join us on Monday, May 23 for our first Brew Pub Fundraiser at Woodinville's Collective On Tap. Stop by anytime between 3pm-11pm for a beer (with 47 different beers on tap you are sure to find something you like), and a portion of your purchase will help support Friends of North Creek Forest. Enjoy an evening out and support North Creek Forest at the same time! Come between 5-8:30 to meet the brewers from 5 Rights Brewing Company and learn more about their beers.

The Collective has a small kitchen serving sandwiches and pizza, and is a 21 and over establishment. We look forward to seeing you there! 

We are thrilled to participate in the Seattle Foundation's incredible one day outpouring of philanthropy, GiveBIG. On May 3, all online contributions made through the Seattle Foundation's GiveBIG website will be eligible for stretch pool funds, golden ticket prizes and other matching gifts. We need your help to get the word out about Friends of North Creek Forest and GiveBIG! On top of the Seattle Foundation's Stretch Pool, we have our own Challenge Fund to encourage contributions. Our GiveBIG goal is $6400, in honor of the 64 acres of North Creek Forest, and our Challenge Fund will match any contribution of $64 and above. Plus, all first time donor gifts, in any amount, will be stretched with at least a $64 match! So if you have never contributed before, your gift of $10 will equal $74!

Here is what you can do today to help us have a successful GiveBIG next week:

• Schedule your GiveBIG Contribution today! New this year - schedule your contribution ahead of time. Your donation will be processed on May 3.
• Follow us on Facebook and invite your friends to like / follow us as well. Share our GiveBIG Facebook posts with friends, and share the link to our GiveBIG Donation page on social media when you make a contribution yourself.
  
• Email friends and family with the link to our GiveBIG page and encourage them to match your contribution - if they are a new donor, their gift will go even further.
  
• Do you receive our monthly electronic newsletter - North Creek Forest News? If not - sign up at the bottom of this page (we won't sell or share your contact info). Invite your friends to sign up too!

We hope you will join us on May 3 to GiveBIG for North Creek Forest!

Today, we are asking for your tax-deductible, year-end gift to help carry this great momentum forward. Friends of North Creek Forest is dedicated to working with the City of Bothell to transform North Creek Forest from raw land into a cherished community park where education, stewardship and recreation can take place for years to come.