Advertisement
Penny Creek (Mill Creek, WA) is the largest tributary to North Creek, which flows to the Sammamish River, and then into Lake Washington. Penny Creek used to have a great salmon run- it could again, and you can help!Join the Adopt A Stream Foundation (AASF), Friends of Penny Creek Natural Area (FPCNA), and native plant specialist and habitat steward, Julie O'Donald, for this special presentation- Penny Creek: History & Stewardship.
Penny Creek: History & Stewardship
Saturday May 9th, 2026
1-3PM
at the Northwest Stream Center
in Snohomish County's McCollum Park
600 128th St SE,
Everett, WA 98208
This is a free community event, with a suggested donation of $8 for AASF Members and $10 for general admission.
The Chinook Room at the Northwest Stream Center will open for seating at 12:30pm. Only 125 seats are available. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door; pre-registration is highly recommended but not required. Register online through the Adopt A Stream Foundation’s Nature Store, www.streamkeeper.org/thenaturestore or call 425-316-8592 to reserve your spot.
Presentation Details:
Part 1: History and geography of the Penny Creek Watershed with Tom Murdoch of the AASF. Learn where Penny Creek flows, and how the watershed has changed over time.
Part 2: Friends of the Penny Creek Natural Area will share information about the approximately 60 acres of forest, wetland, and ponds, that Penny Creek flows through, and what their community group has been doing to care and advocate for this important natural area!
Part 3: Converting Lawns to Native Plant Landscapes with Julie O'Donald. This presentation will cover native plants and native pollinators, how to remove lawn and convert it into native plant landscape, and how to create wildlife habitat in your gardens. Anyone in the watershed can benefit Penny Creek by transforming their lawn into a native plant landscape!
One of the largest communities that Penny Creek flows through is the Mill Creek Community Association. Their Noxious W**d Committee has been removing invasives and planting native plants. They are a wonderful example of how local community associations can make a positive impact in our watersheds!
About the presenters:
Tom Murdoch, of the Adopt A Stream Foundation: has 35+ years of experience as a stream ecologist and environmental educator. He has directed over 200 small-scale fish and wildlife habitat rehabilitation projects and was the co-author of the Streamkeeper’s Field Guide and the editor of Adopting A Stream: A Northwest Handbook and Adopting A Wetland: A Northwest Guide. Tom was also the principal scriptwriter for the Streamkeeper video featuring Bill Nye “the Science Guy.” He has trained educators and community leaders from throughout the western States and BC Canada how to become Streamkeepers and developed the Northwest Stream Center (NWSC) as a place to teach visitors how to become stewards of their watersheds. Prior to establishing the Adopt-A-Stream Foundation in 1985, Tom was the Water Resource Supervisor for Snohomish County’s Public Works and Planning Departments. He was the principal author of Snohomish County’s first Drainage Ordinance and Storm Water Utility Rate Ordinance; organized Snohomish County’s first Aquatic Resource Protection Program and directed the production of the County’s Stream and Wetland Atlas. He has conducted surveys of most of the streams in western Snohomish County.
Julie O'Donald is a native plant specialist and habitat steward. Her certified wildlife habitat garden contains over 200 species of native plants and has been successfully attracting birds, butterflies, pollinators, and beneficial insects for more than 25 years. It has been featured in Pacific Horticulture and The Butterfly Gardener magazines, as well as the book, Butterfly Gardening: The North American Butterfly Association Guide, 2018. She volunteers here at the Northwest Stream Center leading a dedicated group of volunteers who help AASF manage and nurture our Native Wetland Plant Pollinator Meadow. She is also an active volunteer with the Washington Native Plant Society, the Washington Butterfly Association, Kruckeberg Botanic Garden, and the National Wildlife Federation.
Friends of Penny Creek Natural Area (FPCNA): is a community group dedicated to advocating, volunteering, and communicating about the usability, safety, and future of the beautiful Penny Creek Natural Area in Mill Creek, WA. Their goal is to support and preserve this space for the benefit of the community while respecting its current ownership and working toward a positive future for public access and stewardship. This group and its members have no affiliation or authority over the Penny Creek Natural area and is only a gathering of interested community members for the purposes of their community goals.
FPCNA Community Goals:
· Advocate for responsible use, safety, and preservation
· Volunteer to help maintain and enhance the natural space
· Communicate updates, events, and opportunities to get involved
· Support the usability and representation of this area in city planning
About the Area:
The Penny Creek Natural Area is currently privately owned by The Farm development and includes a public access easement. The long-term ownership, access rights, and relationship with the City of Mill Creek remain undetermined. The City of Mill Creek is currently considering whether to take this property on as a City property.
Advertisement
Event Venue
600 128th St SE, Everett, WA, United States, Washington 98208
Tickets
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.
