Photo by Todd Parker

Location: King County

Acreage: 116.00 acres

Ownership History: This biologically rich area was preserved in 1995 thanks to the cooperative efforts of concerned citizens, progressive corporations, county government, and CLC.  The Quadrant and Taiyo American corporations donated the preserve to CLC, and King County holds a conservation easement on the property.

Property Description: The preserve is a pristine wetland wildlife refuge in King County.  The wetlands are the headwaters of Laughing Jacobs Creek, which originates on the East Lake Sammamish Plateau, and also drains into Beaver Lake and eventually Lake Sammamish.  The Preserve is used both for recreation by nearby residents, as it contains approximately two miles of public trails, and as a field laboratory by local high school students.

Conservation Values: While the preserve does not harbor rare plant species, the vegetation is rich and highly interesting.  There are six different species of sedge, four species of rush, and several species of native grasses.  To have this diversity of species of native graminoids in a single wetland is unusual among East Lake Sammamish wetlands and is comparable to the highest quality wetlands remaining in lowland King County.  These wetlands help control the quality and quantity of water flowing through Beaver Lake all the way to Lake Sammamish.  Many types of wildlife are found on the property including deer, bear, osprey, bald eagles, pileated woodpeckers, and tree frogs.