Goodbye Ali!

SHADOW’s Restoration & Education Manager, Ali Yeates, has accepted a new position and is moving on from the Nature Preserve. She will be working on Forterra’s Green City partnerships in South King County. We are sad to see her go but excited to see her...

Katie’s SHADOW Story

It has been 1 year since I first visited SHADOW Lake Nature Preserve. My husband and I had recently moved to Renton and I was looking for a way to get involved in the community. The Volunteer Match website let me select my interests and found a few opportunities very...

Native Plant of the Month: Labrador Tea

Labrador Tea – Ledum groenlandicum   Highly valued for its numerous medicinal uses, Labrador tea is an especially bog-loving species. It can tolerate standing water and stresses like low nutrients and acidic soils. Ledum groenlandicumresponds to...

Animals in Winter: Rough-skinned Newt

Rough-skinned Newt – Taricha granulosa The rough-skinned newt, named for its rough granular skin, is a medium to large-sized newt with a rounded snout and bright orange underside. The rough-skinned newt is the most common salamander found in the Pacific...

Native Plant of the Month: Sword Fern

Sword Fern – Polystichum munitum   Another classic plant in the Pacific Northwest is the sword fern. These ferns are extremely versatile and resilient. They thrive in moist soil and almost full shade, but can also survive in full shade and low nutrient...