Volunteers needed for Prospect Street Nature Preserve work parties

Coordinators for the Prospect Street Nature Preserve in Madison Park are seeking volunteers for four work parties scheduled for this year.

The nature preserve, at 41^st Avenue East and Prospect Street, next to the tennis club, was spearheaded by former Madison Park resident and Friends of Street Ends member Gene Brandzell, who led the effort to clean up the street end and create a nature area, which has access to Lake Washington, for the community members to enjoy. The effort to maintain and care for the nature preserve is volunteer-driven and the co-coordinators of the preserve, Dan Clancy and Doug Berry, are enlisting the help of community members at each of the work parties.

Each work party is from 9 a.m. to noon, rain or shine, at the nature preserve. Volunteers should bring their favorite pruners and sheers.

The first is March 4 and will entail raking and preparing the preserve for the spring and summer and planting 100 starts from the King County Conservation Plant Sale. Contact Doug Berry, 206-898-6922, for more information.

At the second work party, May 6, volunteers will plant donated trees. Contact co-coordinator Dan Clancy, 206-601-5571, for more information.

The third and fourth work parties, July 8 and Sept. 9, will entail maintenance. Contact Clancy and Berry for more information.