Mar/Apr 2026
Upcoming Events
Sundays at 5pm - Welcome to spring! Meditation sessions in the forest will resume from 5pm to 5:40pm every Sunday. Location: Enter from the South Side entrance at 166th Ave NE / 85th Ave SE and walk a few minutes in and you will see an open tree grove. Ana Huston has been practicing mindfulness for the past 12 years. She completed a two year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certificate Program with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach - and also trained in “Awakening Joy” with James Baraz and is currently in the Community Dharma Leaders Teacher Program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. Questions? Contact Ana at ae1031@hotmail.com or 425-236-4383.
Tues April 28 - Friends of Hooven Forest is partnering with the Crystal Lake community and Wellington Elementary to kick off a third-grade elementary school field trip and development for a more general curriculum. We will be talking about invasive plants (using information from the UWB students), comparing a forest like Hooven with a tree farm, highlighting both environments as important parts of our community, and planting a few trees.
May - The Friends of Hooven Forest Book Club will next be reading Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv and meeting at Barnes and Noble in May. This book delves into how exposure to nature (or lack thereof) shapes not only children but society. Email info@hoovenforest.org if you are interested in joining.
Recent Events
Thurs April 2 - 80 of our Friends of Hooven Forest neighbors met at the Crystal Lake Clubhouse to see the results of the University of Washington Bothell students' Capstone Research Projects conducted in Hooven Forest. After an introduction by Lands Commissioner Upthegrove, Steering Committee Member Kayo presented detailed results of the three student research projects. The first project was on water quality as water flows east through the seasonal wetlands in Hooven Forest, the second was a cataloging of the many animals and plants in the Forest, and the third was a comprehensive geographical mapping of the invasive plants in Hooven Forest. As a Community Partner with UW Bothell, Friends of Hooven Forest is very proud of the work these four students have done to shine a light on the environmental assets of Hooven Forest, showing us not only the hidden gems of the forest but also the talent of our local young people.
Sun March 29 - 21 people from our community attended the invasive plant removal party on March 29th. Friends of Hooven Forest organized this event in collaboration with the Sno-Isle Sierra Club and UW Bothell student Cisco Jimenez, using the findings from Cisco’s research to decide where the work party should take place, and that English Holly would be the target of this work party. We are thankful for the support and logistics provided by David Jones and the Sno-Ilse Sierra Club, who kindly offered to be the primary host in this event.
Other News
We will reach out soon! We have not been very good at getting back to people who have raised their hands to help us. As a small team, needing to focus on getting things done, we have been too busy chopping wood to sharpen the axe, as it were. We are very pleased that one of our UWB students, Cisco, is continuing to volunteer with us until the summer on a community engagement plan. He will be reaching out to those who expressed an interest in getting more involved in order to gather more information. There will also be a survey on what events you would like to see. Please give Cisco your support.
Thank you Woodinville Garden Club - Friends of Hooven Forest is delighted and grateful to announce that we have received a grant of $500 from the Woodinville Garden Club. We feel honored to be recognized by the Club for our shared values and our environmental work in Hooven Forest with the community to enhance education, recreation, and appreciation for the natural resources all around us. Thank you to the Crystal Lake community member who suggested us as a grant recipient to the Club.
We welcome your donations - On that note, the Steering Committee greatly appreciates your financial support of our efforts. We have been spending our own money to maintain our website, publicize and host events, and create materials to support our students in their learning journey in the Forest. Your donations to Hooven Forest will help us pay for insurance so we can continue holding events, allow us to begin exploring the legal options for land preservation, and help us continue to provide educational environmental events for the community.
