In commemoration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Friends of North Creek Forest group and the city of Bothell held a work party at the North Creek Forest Restoration Site on Jan. 20.

Over the course of the gathering, community members and other volunteers removed invasive species, planted native flora, added mulch as needed and more.

Sarah Witte, president of the Friends of North Creek Forest’s board and chairperson of the stewardship committee, said that work parties put together by the organization date back almost a decade, and that one occurs every third Saturday of the month.

On Monday, several groups, in addition to community members, registered to help out, including an assembly of local high school wrestlers, members of the Woodinville Montessori and students from the University of Washington Bothell, according to Witte. There were also contributions from Expedia and Microsoft workers.

To Witte, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a time to help out and get to know different members of the community. At many work parties, she’s seen next-door neighbors who have never spoken before get to know each other.

“It also gives opportunities for people to come out in a safe space and work in the forest,” Witte said of the work parties. “If they don’t have access to a garden or a scenario to work in nature, they can come out here and we provide the tools and the gloves…It brings people together.”

For more information about Friends of North Creek Forest, go to bit.ly/37eqK7d.

Throughout the event, community members and other volunteers removed invasive species, planted native flora, added mulch as needed and more. Blake Peterson/staff photo

Many children helped out at the gathering. Volunteers 15 years old and younger had to be accompanied by an adult. Blake Peterson/staff photo

Volunteers transport excess greenery for disposal. Blake Peterson/staff photo

Several community members registered to participate in the event. Friends of North Creek Forest’s Sarah Witte said that about 140 people RSVP’d to help out this year. Blake Peterson/staff photo