We Are Friends of Heybrook Ridge
We are a non-profit organization supporting Snohomish County’s Heybrook Ridge Park. We meet on the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Fire Station in Index on Avenue A.
Standing between the north and south forks of the Skykomish River is Heybrook Ridge. This ridge serves as a staircase to the towering peaks of the Wild Sky Wilderness and offers views of Mt. Index and Bridal Veil Falls.
The shortest version of the preservation of Heybrook is in the form of a Haiku from Yvonne Lawson, 2013:
Heybrook Ridge was saved
By an alarm from Sue Cross
Clearcutting no way!
But, the story of how the ridge was saved from timber harvest and became a new Snohomish County Park is still being written. Here are the first few chapters:
Our Story of Cooperation to Save a Ridge
Chapter 1. Notice of Logging Causes Alarm. In the fall of 2006 a notice appeared on the general store bulletin board stating that clear-cut logging was proposed for 95 forested acres of Heybrook Ridge across from the small town of Index. Read all chapters here…
Chapter 2. Dialog Avoids Confrontation. Timber company owners agreed to work with the community to seek resolution.
Chapter 3. Expanding Support for the Friends. Volunteers began fundraising events and outreach to potential supporters. Guidance was offered by the Cascade Land Conservancy (CLC, now named “Forterra”) and the Nature Conservancy.
Chapter 4. Small Successes Lead to Large Donations. Most donations were modest, but with over 200 supporters and a few $10,000 donors, by 2008 over $100,000 had been raised. An anonymous donor came forth with $500,000. Snohomish County proposes matching from the Conservation Futures Fund.
Chapter 5. Next Steps. The Friends continue their partnership with Snohomish County Parks in a support and advisory capacity, building a trail system and planning to establish an outdoor educational center. With your support Heybrook Ridge will become a recreational destination for enjoyment and education for generations to come. See what your support will mean to us…
Money Matters
All of our work is by volunteers. Our next major outlay will be to fund the efforts of the Washington Trail Association for trails on Heybrook Ridge. We have requested a place in their busy schedule (see http://www.wta.org/volunteer/trail-work-parties) for trail design this fall and trail construction in the spring of 2014.
For more information on the plans to invest your contributions on trails…
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors include many interesting people. A majority have been with us from the beginning and many have served as officers in several different rolls.
Friends of Heybrook Ridge is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Our Federal ID is 51-0629374. Contributions are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by the law.