Laird Norton Wealth Management employees helped plant more than 570 small trees and shrubs on October 30, in the Three Forks Natural Area at the base of Mount Si.

We were excited to be involved in a hands-on way with the work of King County Parks, with which LNWM partnered earlier this year to launch the King County Parks Foundation.

The tree-planting occurred on land that King County Parks acquired this past spring for $400,000 – some 21 acres adjacent to Three Forks. The land is being turned into a wildlife habitat and open space, accessible to hikers and animal and bird watchers.

Rolling up their sleeves, LNWM CEO Bob Moser — and more than two dozen LNWM employees — used shovels and picks to get small trees and plants out of pots and into the ground. With the sun occasionally peeking out of the clouds and the ground dry, we worked quickly and efficiently to start what will one day be a small forest.

King County Parks has noted that preservation of the 21-acrea area will help benefit a long list of fish and wildlife species, including elk, deer, bear, cougar, bobcat, river otter, beaver and fisher. Bald eagles, hawks, peregrine falcons, numerous song and shoreline birds are also present, as are osprey, great blue heron, band-tailed pigeon, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout.

Christie True, King County’s Director of Natural Resources and Parks, and Kevin Brown, Director of Parks and Recreation, were both on site and thanked LNWM for a great day’s work and for helping to launch the King County Parks Foundation. The Foundation cultivates private-sector philanthropy to preserve and enhance King County’s 200-park system and trails.