Volunteers made major progress this weekend on cleaning up the future park at Lake Stickney.

On Saturday, May 5, members of the Lake Stickney Conservancy, students from Edmonds Community College, and employees from Target and REI teamed up with Snohomish County’s Parks and Recreation Department to battle Himalayan blackberries and other invasive plants on the west shore of Lake Stickney.

The 13.5 acre park, recently acquired by Snohomish County, contains forests and wetlands that will provide wildlife habitat while also filtering out pollutants that affect water quality.

“We are absolutely thrilled that Snohomish County purchased the west end of Lake Stickney,” said Joyce Altaras, Lake Stickney Conservancy president. “Now, instead of condos, the beautiful forests and wetlands that are there will become a nature preserve that will be opened to the public in the future.”

During the past two years, the conservancy has organized volunteer events that led to the removal of an old house and swimming pool on site as well as several tons of old tires, trash and debris.