Oaktoberfest, celebrating a healthy ecosystem by planting native trees and plants, will be held on ‘Oaktober’ 7, 2023 at EJ Roberts Park in North Bend. This grassroots event has three aims: to educate participants about the importance of native plants, to empower individuals to plant native trees and plants to create a healthier ecosystem, and to enjoy a beautiful fall day in the company of the many native oaks, Quercus garrya, that live in EJ Roberts Park.
Oaktoberfest, celebrating a healthy ecosystem by planting native trees and plants, will be held on ‘Oaktober’ 7, 2023 at EJ Roberts Park in North Bend.
This grassroots event has three aims:
- to educate participants about the importance of native plants,
- to empower individuals to plant native trees and plants to create a healthier ecosystem, and
- to enjoy a beautiful fall day in the company of the many native oaks, Quercus garrya, that live in EJ Roberts Park.
- The event begins at 9:00 a.m and runs through 1:00 p.m.
Event organizer Terry Pottmeyer notes,
“Most of us know that our ecosystem is at a critical point. We are losing an astonishing number of plants, birds, bugs and other species, primarily through habitat loss. These species provide the oxygen, clean water, flood control, pollination, pest control, and carbon storage we need to sustain the earth. The good news is that we all have the ability to make a difference in rehabilitating the ecosystem and saving our fellow inhabitants. Oaktoberfest is a celebration of our ability to act, with a focus on planting native trees and plants.”
Activities include crafts for little ones, courtesy of Encompass NW, ‘Acorn Hole’ bean bag toss, and the opportunity to plant your own Garry Oak acorn, supported by the Snoqualmie Valley Garden Club. There will be booths providing information about the Homegrown National Park Movement, the Snoqualmie Tribe’s Ancestral Land Movement, Puget Sound’s Native Plants, and the great trees that can be found in North Bend at the Tree-mendous Trees of North Bend booth.
Participants will be able to purchase native plants provided by local native plant nursery Wildflowers NW, and pollinator plants at a booth hosted by the Snoqualmie Valley Garden Club.
The event will be followed at 1:00 p.m. by the City of North Bend’s annual Arbor Day Planting.
Arbor Day Proclamation and Community Tree Planting, from 1 to 2 p.m.: Citizens are invited to participate in a public tree planting event celebrating the importance of trees in our community. We will plant two native Garry Oak trees to help beautify this local city park, and Mayor McFarland will read the Arbor Day proclamation. Please dress for fall weather, and bring your own gloves and shovel, as well as water and snacks if desired. For more information, contact Principal Planner Mike McCarty, at mmcarty@northbendwa.gov, or by phone, at (425) 888-7649.
