Washington State Parks and Seattle City Light have signed a vegetation management plan that will protect the power lines from falling trees while also minimizing the impact to Bridle Trails State Park. The plan was created by environmental scientists, foresters and managers from both parties with encouragement and assistance from Bridle Trails Park Foundation.

Prior to acceptance of the agreement, Seattle City Light had marked 770 trees for potential removal. Using the guidelines of the plan, all of those trees were inspected by experts and based on the plan criteria, only 40 trees need to be removed.

The end result was announced at a public community informational meeting hosted by State Parks and Seattle City Light on Wednesday, June 4th. Representatives from both sides explained all the factors involved in their decision and how they worked together to protect our park while doing what’s needed to minimize power outages from hazard trees.

Highlights of the meeting and vegetation plan include:

• Trees to be taken down reduced from 770 to 40. This constitutes a shift from clearing the easement of most trees to removing only those trees that meet the criteria for “hazard” trees.

• Seattle City Light will be using expert tree cutters to minimize collateral damage to neighboring trees.

• Seattle City Light agreed to top or cut, as prescribed by State Parks, targeted trees, leaving them on the ground for wildlife habitat. However, branches will be removed and disposed of.

• Seattle City Light will replant the areas where trees have been removed. Replacement plants will be identified by Washington State Parks and will be native plants that are appropriate for the area.

• The blue paint on the remaining trees will either be removed or painted over with black and grey paint.

Work on this project is scheduled to begin in July. Signs will be put out to warn park users and schedules will be posted on both the Bridle Trails Park Foundation and Lake Washington Saddle Club web sites.

State Parks will be working closely with Seattle City Light to facilitate and monitor the work. Seattle City Light will not begin the work without coordinating with State Parks.

We want to thank all those in WA State Parks and Seattle City Light who worked so hard to turn what could have been a disaster into a workable plan.

We also thank all of you for your support and help in keeping Bridle Trails State Park the wonderful natural area that it is.