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Lakeridge Park

Lakeridge Park is a natural area park that is 36 acres of forested canyon located in South Seattle near Lake Washington. The canyon is the lowest point of the Taylor Creek Watershed.

History

Lakeridge Park was named in 1947 by The Seattle Planning Commission. The park was once known as "Dead Horse Canyon", named in 1909 by homesteaders Chas J Walker upon the death and dehydration of a horse which had long roamed the area and been a pet of pioneer children.
(Excerpt from the files of Don Sherwood, 1916-1981, Park Historian)
Although it was once used as a dumping ground, active community involvement over the last 15 years has built up the park’s reputation as one of the city’s most beautiful parks

Urban Gem, Deadhorse Canyon Park hosts a diversity of native groundcover and shrubs, but where are the conifers?

Site

The project site consists of about 2.5 acres of steep forested hillside. The site is bordered to east by the park’s main trail, to the west by a private residential development, to the north by a poorly defined social trail, and to the south by the western tributary of Taylor Creek. The current overstory canopy is dominated by deciduous Big Leaf Maple and Red Alder. A dense thicket of non-native Himalayan Blackberry borders Taylor Creek; English Ivy and Herb Robert are densely distributed among both native shrubs and a number of non-native trees.

Site Goals

Eradicate and control invasive species
Establish a strong buffer between blackberry source and more pristine native areas of the park
Establish a conifer forest ecosystem dominated by Western Red Cedar, Western Hemlock, and Douglas Fir

Action Plan

Team meets on site:
- Seek and flag native plants found on the site
- Prep site for volunteer events
- “Search and destroy” invasive plants by hand in sensitive native areas of the site
- Monitor and maintain site for success
Host volunteer events:
- Invasive Removal Work Party
- Planting Work Party
- Mulching Work Party
- Maintenance Work Party
Request Profession Crews:
- Cut and Treat Invasive Trees
- Remove Ivy and Blackberry and cut “survival rings” on steep and sensitive areas on site

Work Accomplished

(as of 3/31/08)

Blackberry, English ivy and herb robert have been removed on the majority of the site
Invasive trees have been cut and treated
Professional crews have installed coir logs to prevent erosion of site's steep slope
Team has received additional grant funding from Seattle Public Utilities and from the Student Conservation Association
Team continues to acquire and plant more natives with a focus on conifers and "big" trees
Team hosts frequent work parties in collaboration with Friends of Deadhorse Canyon (Lakeridge Park)
One team member presented the experience and accomplishments of the NPSP Lakeridge Team at a WNPS Chapter meeting