June 2025
In this edition:
Hooven Forest is on the Map — and in Your Sketchbook!
Community Events in Hooven Forest
Notes from the Community
📍 Hooven Forest is on the Map — and in Your Sketchbook!
We’re excited to share that Hooven Forest is now officially listed on Google and Google Maps! This makes it easier than ever to find the forest, get directions, and share it with others. It’s a meaningful milestone in making Hooven Forest more visible and accessible — not just as a physical space, but as a growing community.
🔍 You can search for “Hooven Forest” on Google or Google Maps, or go directly to our listing here.
📸 To help others discover the forest through your eyes, consider uploading photos/videos from your visits or writing a short review about what the space means to you. Your contributions bring the map to life and make it more inviting for new visitors.
🗺️ We now also have a beautiful illustrated trail map designed by local artist Nicole Monahan of Monahan Studio. The map highlights the forest’s paths, native plants, and wildlife with hand-drawn charm — and offers a fun, useful guide for explorers of all ages.
🎨 Nicole has also generously offered to hold monthly nature drawing sessions on Sundays in the forest. These relaxed, hour-long gatherings are open to all ages and experience levels. Bring a pencil and notebook (or colored pencils, pens, or watercolors if you’d like), and enjoy learning simple sketching techniques inspired by the natural world. If you’re interested or have a time preference, you can reach Nicole at nicole@monahanstudio.com.
🌿 Community Events in Hooven Forest
This month, Hooven Forest continues to grow as a space for slowing down, connecting with nature, and building community. We invite you to join us for two special events in June:
📅 Sunday, June 15 at 10:00 AM – Father’s Day Nature Walk with Alexia
Meet us at the entrance on 170th Ave NE for a guided walk led by Alexia from Hawthorn Farm, an experienced naturalist and birding-by-ear teacher. We’ll spend 60–90 minutes gently exploring the forest, tuning into native plants, birdsong, and the subtle rhythms of the woods. All ages are welcome; children must be accompanied by an adult. Contact Alexia at hawthornhealstheheart@gmail.com or 425-286-5640 for more info.
📅 Sunday, June 22 at 4:00–5:30 PM – Mindfulness in Nature with Ana
If you’ve ever wished for more calm, ease, and joy in your days, this session is for you. Join Ana Huston for a gentle mindfulness session in the forest. Learn to cultivate present-moment awareness and begin or deepen a meditation practice—all outdoors, under the trees. Meet at the open grove a few minutes after the entrance at 166th Ave NE / 85th Ave SE. Contact Ana at ae1031@hotmail.com or 425-236-4383 for more info.
No cost to attend — donations to Hooven Forest are welcome. All ages welcome; kids must be with an adult.
🌼 Looking Back: Mother's Day Nature Walk
On Sunday May 10, 15 community members attended a delightful and informative Mother's Day Nature Walk with Alexia from Hawthorn Farms. We had all ages of participants walking the level and easy trail from the 170th Ave NE Hooven Forest entrance — from "well seasoned" on down to four years old.
For about 90 minutes, those of us lucky enough to be led into the forest by Alexia observed and tasted edible plants like peeled new salmonberry shoots, the yellow flowers of the mahonia (Oregon grape) plant, and some of us even tasted the astringent new leaves of the salal (gaultheria shallon), whose leaves can also be steeped into a tea.
We also listened to and observed many forest margin and deeper forest birds, including the downy woodpecker and chickadee. We even stopped to listen and observe one bird which flew from understory perch to understory perch in a circle around us, calling to others and to the other forest residents to alert them to our presence. It was a magical moment of observation and interaction with the residents of Hooven Forest.
📝 Notes from the Community
We love hearing from neighbors who bring Hooven Forest to life through their stories, experiences, and reflections.
📹 Bear Sighting on the Trail — from Marco
Marco recently had a breathtaking moment during a run through Hooven Forest.
“Hey Hooven Forest friends!
Just sharing a quick story and short video of my ~5 mile loop run yesterday in the forest with a big bear encounter!
Great weather and as usual a great single track trail for my forest run, practicing obstacle avoidance on the trail, logs, stumps, roots, mud, etc... Love it. Halfway through my run getting close to the Crystal Lake road, where they cleared a section of the trees last year, I came fast on a turn and surprised a big black male bear who was resting 10 feet away from the trail near the clearing, soaking up the sun. He was flustered, got up quickly as if to attack - he was angry - but I quickly grabbed Bruno (my dog) closer to me so he would not charge on him either...
I immediately started shouting loudly to scare him from attacking, he stood still still flustered, but standing his ground, so I continued slowly walking away with Bruno until I got to the road, but I sensed he was following me from behind the bushes, as if curious... I turned back into the forest from the newly cleared section of the forest, and he was still carefully watching me undecided about what he wanted to do... then later he decided it was not worth his effort... He appeared to be a male, large one, about 350lb, a beautiful shiny black coat, and very healthy....
We just need to be careful and always keep making noise if we go fast through the forest to give these beautiful beasts a warning!
🌲 Why This Forest? — from Zach
Zach moved to Hooven Forest during the pandemic to raise his family close to nature. He offers a thoughtful and well-researched perspective to the question: Why should we protect this forest?
“Mine is a familiar story at this point: a millennial professional has kids during the pandemic and moves out of the city to have more space and be closer to nature. More specifically, I moved to the edge of Hooven Forest in Woodinville, on the border of Snohomish County. The incredible forest trails right at our doorstep were a major factor in our move from Seattle, and we have been enamored with the wildlife and green space visible from our windows. When I later found out that Hooven Forest was not protected land in any way and could easily be felled and sold for development, I was devastated.
I also felt a little bit guilty. As a sustainability consultant with a degree in environmental engineering, I fully understand the benefits of urban living and the history and impacts of suburban sprawl. Moves like mine have, for decades (or really, centuries), pushed back the once vast wilderness of Washington State into isolated parks, corridors, and greenbelts. And although my individual move has no direct impact on the protected status of Hooven Forest, it does contribute to the market value of land in exurban (just beyond the suburbs) areas in Western Washington, likely increasing development pressure on the forest.
But wanting to be near nature is certainly no crime, and I am not even anti-development in general. In fact, I work in the construction industry, helping architects, developers, and corporations design and build sustainable buildings, which naturally involves a lot of new development. I understand that Washington’s population is growing and that we need to build equitable and affordable housing in the next decade. I also recognize that Washington has an essential timber industry, providing sustainable building materials to many local industries while generating worthwhile jobs and funding for the state. My job also gives me perspective on the relative value of sustainable planning initiatives, given the massive scale of environmental challenges like climate change.
So when I felt compelled to get involved with the protection efforts at Hooven Forest, I forced myself to ask—why this forest? Am I just the new generation of the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) crowd, resisting development now that I’ve secured my slice of nature? Or is there a compelling case that this forest, and others like it, should be a priority for preservation?
Your Hooven Forest Steering Committee
Solveig, Jeff, Randy, and Rosa
