Work Party!
We’ll meet at 9:00, at the Artillery Hill gate (Discover Pass required), then walk to the work area. Work will stop no later than noon, or whenever you wish to stop. No pressure.
Bring: Loppers, gloves, water
Work Party!
We’ll meet at 9:00, at the Artillery Hill gate (Discover Pass required), then walk to the work area. Work will stop no later than noon, or whenever you wish to stop. No pressure.
Bring: Loppers, gloves, water
Work Party!
We’ll meet at 9:00, at the Artillery Hill gate (Discover Pass required), then walk to the work area. Work will stop no later than noon, or whenever you wish to stop. No pressure.
Bring: Loppers, gloves, water
Work Party!
We’ll meet at 9:00, at the Artillery Hill gate (Discover Pass required), then walk to the work area. Work will stop no later than noon, or whenever you wish to stop. No pressure.
Bring: Loppers, gloves, water
Rhody-OH! Work Party!
Tues, Dec 3 Rhody Garden Work Party! This will be an intimate little gathering to clean up fallen fir branches from the recent winds.
9:30 am to whenever. Bring a rake it you have one.
Big Red (the truck) will be on hand for photo ops and hauling.
Hope to see you!
Work Party November 23
We’ll meet at 9:00, at the Artillery Hill gate (Discover Pass required), then walk to the work area. Work will stop no later than noon, or whenever you wish to stop. No pressure.
Bring: Loppers, gloves, water and a hat (could be a sunny location)
Work Party October 28-31
Join Stella Waxwing and a Washington Conservation Corps crew to continue the battle against non-native dune grass and to help plant native sand verbena at Point Wilson. These folks start early and work all day. Fortunately for the rest of us, this means we can show up any time during normal business hours and stay as long as we like.
Park at Knapp Circle, the Lighthouse or the Hangar Pads. Discover Pass required. Look for young people working in the area. Bring a stout garden fork, shovel or spade, gloves, water, etc. Have fun!
Work Party October 26
We will join WA Native Plant Society removing non-native dune grass.
Meet at 9:30 at the restrooms on the right, heading to the Lighthouse. Park on the old hangar pads across the road. Discover Pass required.
Bring a stout garden fork, shovel or spade (small devices like trowels and hori horis don’t go deep enough), gloves, water, etc.
Work Party October 1
We’ll meet at 9:00, at the Artillery Hill gate (Discover Pass required), then walk to the work area. Work will stop no later than noon, or whenever you wish to stop. No pressure.
Bring: Loppers, gloves, water and a hat (could be a sunny location)
Work Party September 21
We’ll meet at 9:00, at the Artillery Hill gate (Discover Pass required), then walk to the work area. Work will stop no later than noon, or whenever you wish to stop. No pressure.
Bring: Loppers, gloves, water and a hat (could be a sunny location)
Work Party September 3
We’ll meet at 9:00, at the Artillery Hill gate (Discover Pass required), then walk to the work area. Work will stop no later than noon, or whenever you wish to stop. No pressure.
Bring: Loppers, gloves, water and a hat (could be a sunny location)
Work Party August 17
We’ll meet at 9:00, at the Artillery Hill gate (Discover Pass required), then walk to the work area. Work will stop no later than noon, or whenever you wish to stop. No pressure.
Bring: Loppers, gloves, water and a hat (could be a sunny location)
Work Party August 6
We’ll meet at 9:00, at the Artillery Hill gate (Discover Pass required), then walk to the work area. Work will stop no later than noon, or whenever you wish to stop. No pressure.
Bring: Loppers, gloves, water and a hat (could be a sunny location)
Work Party July 13
We’ll meet at 9:00, at the Artillery Hill gate (Discover Pass required), then walk to the work area. Work will stop no later than noon, or whenever you wish to stop. No pressure.
Bring: Loppers, gloves, water and a hat (could be a sunny location)
Work Party July 2
We’ll meet at 9:00, at the Artillery Hill gate (Discover Pass required), then walk to the work area. Work will stop no later than noon, or whenever you wish to stop. No pressure.
Bring: Loppers, gloves, water and a hat (could be a sunny location)
Work Party June 29
We’ll meet at 9:00, at the Artillery Hill gate (Discover Pass required), then walk to the work area. Work will stop no later than noon, or whenever you wish to stop. No pressure.
Bring: Loppers, gloves, water and a hat (could be a sunny location)
Scotch Broom Wipeout
Scotch Broom Party Saturday, June 15, 9:30-noon
Meet at Artillery Hill Gate for coffee at 9 a.m.
The Scotch Broom is in full flower and this year's growth promises a huge crop of seeds. One of the largest concentrations of broom at Fort Worden is at the mortar batteries on top of Artillery Hill.
On Saturday, June 15, 9:30-12:00, we will cut as much of this broom as possible.
Coffee and cookies in the parking area next to Artillery Hill Gate (Discover Pass required) from 9-9:30. Please bring loppers, gloves, water. We will have extra loppers available.
Two vehicles will have room for a few riders and all of the tools but you should be prepared to walk. The easiest route to the work area, IMHO, is via Command Post Rd where the red one ton truck will be parked. See the park map for this location.
Hope you can join us!
Cheers, Will Barrett
Rhody Dead-Head Party!
Rhody Dead-Head Party! Tuesday, June 11 and Friday, June 14, 9:30 to noon.
Join us to dead-head, prune and rake the Fort Worden Rhody Garden, which is in glorious bloom.
The “Dead-Head Parties" (not the tie-dye t-shirt kind) are enjoyable gatherings. The tasks are easy and meditative and require no special skills. Rhody volunteer(s) will be on hand to assist and offer pointers if you’re new to the world of Rhodies.
Where: The Fort Worden Rhododendron Garden just west of the Fort’s entrance. Pull around the Wheeler Theater to park at the garden or park across the street next to the Guardhouse Cafe.
When: Tuesday, June 11th & Friday June 14th
9:30 a.m. until whenever or however long you can stay (plan on about 1/2 hour for orientation and training).
Once you are versed on what to do, you can volunteer at the garden anytime, for as long as you wish, alone or with friends.
What to bring: a grass rake
a standard hand pruner (small branches)
a hand pruner with a pointed tip (great for dead-heading)
a bucket
gloves
If you lack any or all, there will be a few extras on hand.
Questions?: please contact Donald Mazzola at dmazz1952@gmail.com or 360.344.2946.
Rhody Dead-Head Party
Rhody Dead-Head Party! Tuesday, June 11 and Friday, June 14, 9:30 to noon.
Join us to dead-head, prune and rake the Fort Worden Rhody Garden, which is in glorious bloom.
The “Dead-Head Parties" (not the tie-dye t-shirt kind) are enjoyable gatherings. The tasks are easy and meditative and require no special skills. Rhody volunteer(s) will be on hand to assist and offer pointers if you’re new to the world of Rhodies.
Where: The Fort Worden Rhododendron Garden just west of the Fort’s entrance. Pull around the Wheeler Theater to park at the garden or park across the street next to the Guardhouse Cafe.
When: Tuesday, June 11th & Friday June 14th
9:30 a.m. until whenever or however long you can stay (plan on about 1/2 hour for orientation and training).
Once you are versed on what to do, you can volunteer at the garden anytime, for as long as you wish, alone or with friends.
What to bring: a grass rake
a standard hand pruner (small branches)
a hand pruner with a pointed tip (great for dead-heading)
a bucket
gloves
If you lack any or all, there will be a few extras on hand.
Questions?: please contact Donald Mazzola at dmazz1952@gmail.com or 360.344.2946.
Fort Worden State Park BioBlitz June 8!
Fort Worden State Park BioBlitz June 8! Fort Worden is counting on YOU to help document the diverse range of life within the park Saturday, June 8, dawn to dusk! You’ll need an iNaturalist account and a camera or smart phone, so you can upload pictures of observations through the iNaturalist app or website.
By uncovering the diverse range of life within the park, we can gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for its ecology. Washington State Parks is hosting this event to promote nature exploration, discovery, citizen science, and conservation amongst park visitors. For more information, and to follow the count down, visit: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/fort-worden-spring-bioblitz-2024.
Need help getting started? Join us at the Kitchen Shelter down a bit from the Marine Science Center, where volunteers will provide orientation to the park, assistance with getting started, and help with identification of organisms.
Friends of Fort Worden Annual Gala and Fundraiser
Please mark your calendar for Friday, April 12 at 5:00 pm in the Commons, Fort Worden to help us celebrate another year of supporting Fort Worden State Park! We are pleased to have Author, Street Smart Naturalist, and Geoduck Enthusiast David B. Williams as our special guest for the evening. David will be presenting a fascinating and hopeful narrative of the intersection between the people and places of our beloved Puget Sound from the Ice Age to the present.
- Delectable appetizers and cash bar (beer and wine) - Gloves and work boots optional :-)
Are you coming to our annual celebration? RSVP HERE
Scotch Broom Old School!
Some of you regular scotch broom pickers must miss working on the older, larger plants, right? Well, here's an offer you might like.
Saturday, Feb 17, 9:30 am, meet at the Artillery Hill parking area (Discover Passs required).
We will walk to the Glamping area to tackle some larger broom as well as the small stuff.
Bring gloves and a lopper. We will have extra loppers.
Hope to see you there!
Scotch Broom & Blackberry Work Party
Join our Scotch broom and blackberry work party this Saturday, February 3rd.
Meet at the parking area near Artillery Hill Gate, Discover Pass required
9-9:30 Coffee and snacks
9:30 to 12:00 Work!
We’ll be working on two tasks:
Scotch broom removal - bring gloves, loppers and small shovels if you have them. Friends will provide the rest.
Blackberry removal - You’ll need puncture proof gloves, safety goggles and long, heavy sleeves.
Love to see you!
MORE Dune Grass Removal Work Party!
State Parks ecology specialist Stella Waxwing invites you to join her and a Washington Conservation Corps crew working on the dune grass and other invasive species located "inside" Knapp Circle. This crew will be working there all day Mon -Thurs.
Volunteers are invited to join this rewarding project at any time between 9am-4pm. Parking available near the Lighthouse or on the paved "hangar pads" located between the Beach Campground and Harbor Defense Way. The entrance is just past the bath house (Building 602) located on the right past the Kitchen Shelter. Discover Pass required. Walk toward the Lighthouse. You can't miss the worksite.
Bring your trusty garden fork or shovel.
Stella has been working on this area for a couple of years and, for those paying attention to this area, the results are dramatic!
Dune Grass Removal Work Party
Jan 29. Monday through Feb 1, Thursday. 9:00am. State Parks ecology specialist Stella Waxwing will be leading a Washington Conservation Corps crew working on the dune grass and other invasive species located "inside" Knapp Circle. This crew will be working there all day Mon -Thurs.
Volunteers are invited to join this rewarding project at any time between 9am-4pm. Parking available near the Lighthouse or on the paved "hangar pads" located between the Beach Campground and Harbor Defense Way. The entrance is just past the bath house (Building 602) located on the right past the Kitchen Shelter. Discover Pass required. Walk toward the Lighthouse. You can't miss the worksite.
Bring your trusty garden fork or shovel.
Stella has been working on this area for a couple of years and, for those paying attention to this area, the results are dramatic!
Dune Grass Removal
Jan 29. Monday through Feb 1, Thursday. 9:00am. State Parks ecology specialist Stella Waxwing will be leading a WCC crew working on the dune grass and other invasive species located "inside" Knapp Circle. This crew will be working there all day Mon -Thurs.
Volunteers are invited to join this rewarding project at any time between 9am-4pm. Parking available near the Lighthouse or on the paved "hangar pads" located between the Beach Campground and Harbor Defense Way. The entrance is just past the bath house (Building 602) located on the right past the Kitchen Shelter. Discover Pass required. Walk toward the Lighthouse. You can't miss the worksite.
This will be a continuation of the MLK Day work, just in a different part of Pt Wilson. So bring your trusty garden fork or shovel.
Stella has been working on this area for a couple of years and, for those paying attention to this area, the results are dramatic.
Hope you can make it to one, some, or all of these parties. Your work makes a difference!
Beachgrass Pull
We've rescheduled the MLK Day of Service Beachgrass Pull!
Join the PT Marine Science Center and help restore the Salish Sea shoreline habitat for native plants and animals by pulling out invasive beachgrass.
All ages are welcome!
Meet at the PTMSC Museum portico in Fort Worden State Park.
Bring work gloves if you want them, and make sure to dress for the weather!
We have limited tools, so please bring your own shovels of pitchforks if you have them.
Snacks will be provided!
RSVPs are appreciated! Go to bit.ly/MLK2024_RSVP.
Glamping Tent Area Cleanup Redux!
Glamp it up with the Friends of Fort Worden Trail Team! We’re cleaning up Scotch broom, English holly, poison hemlock and blackberry in the Glamping Tent area. But first we need to haul out the downed brush that currently covers much of the invasives.
Please join Mitch and Vince at the Glamping area on Saturday Jan 27, 9:30 am. Make your way to the Glamping area and look around for someone working. Bring your most glamorous gloves and lopper!
Glamping Tent Area Cleanup
Glamp it up with the Friends of Fort Worden Trail Team! We’re cleaning up Scotch broom, English holly, poison hemlock and blackberry in the Glamping Tent area. But first we need to haul out the downed brush that currently covers much of the invasives.
Please join Mitch and Vince at the Glamping area on Tuesday Jan 23, 9:30 am. Make your way to the Glamping area and look around for someone working. Bring your most glamorous gloves and lopper!
Canceled: MLK Day Beachgrass Pull
Due to the extreme cold, the Martin Luther King Day Beachgrass Pull has been canceled. Please check back for more work parties at Fort Worden State Park.
Scotch Broom Party!
How about a good old fashioned Scotch broom work party?
Saturday, December 16, 9-noon, we’re tackling older growth broom at Batteries Powell and Brannon on Artillery Hill. Meet at the parking area (Discover Pass required), by Artillery Hill Gate. Bring loppers, or use one of the few we will provide, sturdy boots, gloves, etc.
The work area is steep, and the access trail is steep, but past work parties here have had no trouble, provided you are ok with steep. We will just be cutting 1/2" diameter and larger stalks and hand-pulling the pencil size and smaller plants. One group of volunteers will be cutting broom and throwing it downslope. Did I mention steep?
Another group will be working on flat ground, collecting plants that have been tossed from above, and carrying them to the Big Red Truck for loading.
We hope to have a pickup truck available to carry the tools, and maybe a few folks who need to conserve energy, up the hill to worksite. The rest of us will walk up Powerhouse Trail or Battery Way West or East to the mortar batteries.
Hope you can join us the last large work party of '23!
Will Barrett
FFWSP Trail Team
Dune Grass Removal Party!
Join the Washington Conservation Corps Nov 6, 7 and 8, from 9:30 am to 3 pm at the Knapp Circle on Point Wilson (near the lighthouse).
The project will be to remove dune grass and other invasive species in order to improve the environment for sand verbena. Bring a shovel or sturdy garden fork.
All are welcome to come whenever and stay as long as you wish. Park in the area by the Lighthouse and walk west to the worksite. Please remember that a Discover Pass is required to park.
See you on the dunes!
Bingo at Hilltop Tavern
Bingo Night at Hilltop Tavern to Benefit the Friends of Fort Worden!
A dollar a game! Great pub food! Cheap beer and wine! World-famous baked potatoes with all the fixin’s!
It's fun, prizes for the winners, and the thrill of victory for you and the Friends!
$1 per round or $10 to play all 10 rounds.
All proceeds go to the Friends, so invite YOUR friends and neighbors.
Hilltop Tavern, Port Townsend’s favorite watering hole, 2510 W Sims Way.
Leave your gloves and loppers at home! See you on Sept 6
Trail Team Work Party - Monday, June 5
Intrepid volunteers, we’re not going to let those pesky ivy and blackberries reestablish themselves in the newly re-planted area of Battery Way!!! NOW’s the time to nip those little devils in the re-growing bud!
You’ll need heavy gloves (even young blackberries can bite), a small digging device (hori-hori or hand trowel), water and sturdy shoes (a bit of an incline may need to be navigated). There will be a short walk to the location and some stairs to be navigated.
Date: Monday, June 5th
Time: 9:00 to 11:30.
Meeting place: Artillery Hill Gate
Discover Pass Required
Questions? Email me!