Friends of the Hylebos’ efforts to save Federal Way’s forests from invasive plants recently got a major boost from one of the region’s top employers and the county government.

The Boeing Company has contributed $20,000 towards the Friends’ forest health efforts, while King County’s Wild Places in City Spaces fund awarded a $10,000 grant.

The funds will go into direct action to save trees at the Dumas Bay Preserve.

“The forests that make our city beautiful are literally being strangled to death by English ivy,” says Friends’ Executive Director Chris Carrel.

“The Dumas Bay Preserve is the most threatened forest in the city. With this support from Boeing and King County, we will mobilize volunteers to clear ivy from the trees and begin restoring the forest to health.”

The group will begin work in early December and is finalizing dates that will be announced soon. Surveys performed by the Friends found that the trees in Dumas Bay forest were anywhere from 25% to 100% invaded by ivy. Without intervention the trees will eventually die and be replaced by a monoculture of English ivy.

Carrel notes that the city’s forest health problem is too large for any one nonprofit, or even government agency to tackle.

“We have to mobilize the community to keep our forests healthy. This will require volunteers, businesses, other nonprofits working together. Dumas Bay is just the start.”

Those interested in volunteering are encouraged to contact Hillary Kleeb at 253-874-2005 or streamteam@hylebos.org or Chris Carrel at 253-874-2005 or chinook@hylebos.org.

Friends of the Hylebos is a nonprofit conservation organization, founded in 1983 and working to protect and restore the environmental quality of Hylebos Creek, the West Hylebos Wetlands and the surrounding watershed.