Sammamish restoration specialist outlines noxious-weed control, volunteer priorities; commission plans outreach

Sebastian Ritaka, Sammamish’s Habitat Restoration Specialist, told the Sustainability Commission that ecological restoration in the city centers on managing active restoration sites, training stewards and volunteers, and using an updated Integrated Pest Management approach to control invasive species.

“Ecological restoration is the process of helping a damaged or degraded ecosystem recover its natural structure, function, and diversity,” Ritaka said, summarizing the restoration philosophy the city applies across parks, shorelines and stormwater sites.

Ritaka described the city’s current work and priorities: 19 active restoration sites covering about 42 acres; a four‑phase monitoring framework that guides input levels at each site; propagation and plant-salvage through a city nursery; and targeted treatments for noxious weeds where eradication is still feasible. He said the city updated its Integrated Pest Management policy in 2023 and seeks to minimize chemical use, relying primarily on physical removal, suppression, soil amendments and selective herbicide use for species such as knotweed that are difficult to control by other means.

The presentation detailed volunteer and stewardship programs that expand the city’s restoration capacity. Ritaka noted the city has roughly 19 master stewards trained through intensive native‑plant programs; these stewards have helped restore roughly two acres and install about 2,600 native plants across four sites as part of a past training cohort. Stormwater Stewards have adopted eight ponds, installed three pollinator beds, contributed about 788 volunteer hours and planted roughly 813 native plants since 2023, Ritaka said. He also described university partnership work with University of Washington capstone students who survey sites and help update restoration plans.

Public commenter Mary Wictor emphasized concern about tansy ragwort on local trails and suggested the city train maintenance staff, recruit local landscape contractors for seasonal work, and add an easier reporting option on the city’s service portal. “We really need to get at least a few places cleaned up,” Wictor said, describing prior reports she had submitted about plants she saw near Ebright Creek.

Commissioners asked technical and programmatic questions: a commissioner asked how the city balances physical removal and herbicide use; Ritaka noted the IPM document prescribes allowable chemicals and that pesticides are used sparingly and only when other methods are infeasible. When asked about eradication timing and tools, Ritaka said methods and resources vary by site and by the noxious-weed classification (Class A, B or C), which comes from state and county control boards and carries differing control expectations.

On volunteer recruitment and retention, Ritaka said the city relies heavily on high‑school volunteers, who often leave after graduation, and that retaining mid‑career adult volunteers is a continuing challenge. When Commissioner Mizan Rashid asked, “Do you have enough volunteers?” Ritaka replied candidly that the program needs more long‑term volunteer engagement and additional demographics beyond high‑school students.

Ritaka highlighted recent and ongoing projects where volunteers and staff are active: Big Rock Park South (planting and trail decommissioning), Beaver Lake Park shoreline restoration using live willow stakes and planting mats, Evans Creek erosion control using jute and live staking, and the Lower Commons wetland replanting and resurvey work (25 volunteer events and about 1,554 volunteer hours reported since 2024 for that project). He said the restoration team typically plans plantings with a 60 percent success expectation and often aims for 70 percent when conditions allow; soil testing and targeted amendments are used when capacity and site conditions warrant.

Commissioners and staff also discussed outreach and engagement: planned presence at upcoming community events (a trunk‑or‑treat event and a winter “Frosty Fest”), possible volunteer field days, and a planned November tour of a materials‑recovery facility. The commission agreed staff would follow up with schedules and volunteer opportunities posted on the city website; Ritaka said the city posts quarterly volunteer calendars and that event listings are available through the city’s volunteer page.

The meeting closed after brief procedural votes to approve the agenda and minutes and to adjourn. No changes to city policy or funding were adopted during the discussion; Ritaka and staff will continue to coordinate restoration work, volunteer recruitment, and outreach with the commission and community partners.