Friends 2025 Planting
This was the Friends’ largest planting project to date; we installed over 2,000 native plants as part of our ongoing habitat restoration efforts. Not only are native plants beautiful, but they also reduce air pollution by sequestering carbon, provide food and shelter to wildlife, promote biodiversity, and prevent the re-emergence of invasive species.
What did we plant?
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![A man kneeling in tall grass, wearing a brown wide-brim hat, a black puffy jacket, blue pants, and blue gloves, smiling at the camera while holding a strand of grass.]()
Bliss Cottage Bluff
50 Tall Oregon Grape
75 Kinnikinik
76 Snowberry
38 Nootka Rose
9 Thimbleberry -
![Workers in safety gear clearing fallen branches from a dirt road with a wood chipper.]()
East Glamping Area
16 Big Leaf Maple
16 Red Alder
16 Western Red Cedar
19 Osoberry
24 Dull Oregon Grape
35 Sword Fern -
![Two volunteers planting and maintaining native plants on a sandy beach, with tools and plant tags nearby, under cloudy skies.]()
Alexander's Loop
6 osoberry
7 Sword Fern
3 Oceanspray -
![Group of five people working on hillside, planting or clearing vegetation, some wearing gloves and hats, in a green forested area.]()
Switchboard Road
15 Western Red Cedar
30 Salmonberry
68 Snowberry
50 Thimbleberry
132 Baldhip Rose
65 Salal
30 Tall Oregon Grape
15 Vine Maple
10 Red Alder
10 Big Leaf Maple -
![A man in outdoor gear, including a green cap, gray jacket, and gloves, is sitting or lying against a bush in a forested area with green foliage.]()
Upper Gunline Road
106 Salmonberry
67 Snowberry
110 Tall Oregon Grape -
![Two people in outdoor clothing, one smiling at camera and kneeling near wild plants, the other further back kneeling and working in grassy field with trees in background.]()
Battery Way East
30 Dull Oregon Grape
7 Sword Fern
8 Salal
150 Snowberry
107 Tall Oregon Grape -
![Older woman wearing glasses, a blue knit hat, purple vest, and gloves sitting in tall grass in a field, smiling and looking at the grass.]()
The Bluff Trail
10 Swordfern
6 Salal
10 Gooseberry
200 Willow -
![Two women planting a shrub in a grassy, wooded area. One woman is standing and using pruning shears, while the other is kneeling and holding the plant.]()
Memories Vault
9 Red Elderberry
9 Vine Maple
9 Western Red Cedar
49 Salmonberry
9 Sword Fern
39 Dull Oregon Grape
9 Salal
9 Gooseberry
9 OceanSpray -
![A woman kneeling in a grassy field near a body of water, holding a gardening tool, smiling at the camera, wearing outdoor clothing and sunglasses.]()
Chinese Gardens Lagoon
50 Snowberry
70 Nootka Rose -
![A man with gray hair, glasses, wearing a green cap, a black vest, and jeans, kneeling in tall dry grass while holding a small tool in his hands.]()
Mule Barn Road
10 OceanSpray
20 Salmonberry
10 Red Elderberry
8 Gooseberry
10 Sword Fern
25 Dull Oregon Grape
10 Osoberry
10 Vine Maple
Why plant?
During Fort Worden’s time as a military base, the Army clear-cut many areas of the park to facilitate construction and operations. These clear cuts made ideal environments for multiple species of noxious weeds and invasive plants that went on to establish themselves throughout the park.
The volunteers and Park staff have been working to clear these invasives.
Over the last couple of years, with funding from donations and many volunteer hours, the Friends have been able to clear whole areas of invasive species in many areas of the park. However, it is imperative that these areas be re-planted with native species and maintained regularly to prevent the invasive species from re-establishing themselves.
How do we do it?
After hiring outside contractors such as Agate Landscaping to assist volunteers in clearing planting areas, the Friends worked closely with State Park authorities to identify high priority areas.
Once the scope of the planting project was determined, the Friends hired Sound Native Plants. Established in 1992, Sound Native Plants specializes in habitat and ecological restoration and has extensive experience in planning and executing projects in Washington State Parks.
They worked with Friends and Park staff to determine what kinds of plants would be best suited for each area of the park and helped Friends buy the plants being installed. They will also be the team doing the actual planting when the plants arrive.
How can you help?
In addition to volunteers, the Friends depend on donations to fund projects like this one.
Without donations, the Friends would not be able to hire contractors like Agate Landscaping and Sound Native Plants, or easily source such large amounts of plants.
This was our biggest project to date, but we have ambitious restoration plans for 2026 year including; replanting the area cleared along Admiralty Ave, replanting the area next to the Marine Science Center, and installing trees along Battery Way East.
Simply put, the best way to help is through donating.
