The following is from a Pierce County press release:

The Urban Forestry Restoration Project, administered by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, enhances the capacity of urban forests to manage stormwater and improve air and water quality by improving the health and functionality of trees and forested sites in urban settings.

DNR is excited to bring this urban forestry restoration program to Pierce County.

Over the next few weeks, a Washington Conservation Corps team will remove the English ivy, Himalayan blackberry and yellow-flag iris from Spanaway Park and Bresemann Forest. Invasive non-native plants prevent forested areas from providing our community the full benefits and services of healthy forests by competing for water and nutrients, and in some cases even killing trees. Once the unwelcome plants are gone, native vegetation will be planted in some areas.

To learn more about how you can help keep Spanaway Park and Bresemann Forest healthy in the future, contact Kimberly Freeman, Resource Stewardship, Pierce County Parks at (253) 798-4009.

For more information about the Urban Forestry Restoration Project, visit the Project online or contact Micki McNaughton at 360-902-1637 ormicki.mcnaughton@dnr.wa.gov.

The Washington State Urban and Community Forestry Program is made possible through a partnership with the USDA Forest Service.