Allen Creek gets an Earth Day facelift

Jacob Quintana checks out bugs that volunteers collected in Allen Creek/photo by Cindy Flint.

About 150 people gathered to celebrate Earth Day this past weekend at Jennings Park.

Kids were able to decorate t-shirts and do hands-on activities at the booths aimed to teach them about Snohomish County's local streams and wildlife.

Volunteers planted 70 native trees and shrubs, spread mulch and dug out non-native blackberry roots along Allen Creek.

"Many of our stream corridors have become overgrown with non-native weeds or lack vegetation altogether," said Cindy Flint, a Snohomish County Watershed Steward. "Planting a healthy forest along our creeks helps keep water temperatures cool and provides a better environment for fish and wildlife."

The event was hosted by the Allen Quilceda Watershed Action Team (AQWA) and sponsored by the Tulalip Tribes Charitable Fund and the city of Marysville.