Celebrating Our Volunteers
By Kira Telgen, IATC Program & Volunteer Coordinator
The Issaquah Alps Trails Club has always been a volunteer-based organization. In the early days of the club, members volunteered to lead hikes throughout the region or build trails. Today, our working board consists entirely of volunteers, and our hikes and restoration events are generously led by local experts donating their time to the Issaquah Alps and our community. Perhaps most importantly, all of the restoration work and projects the Issaquah Alps Trails Club does—invasive species removal, trail cleanup, tree plantings, and operating our wildlife camera network—are done by volunteers. Simply put, this organization is only possible thanks to those who dedicate their time and expertise to stewarding public lands.
In 2025, Issaquah Alps Trails Club and its partners hosted an impressive 54 restoration events. Volunteers helped rebuild trails on Squak Mountain in the wake of the 2024 bomb cyclone, established Issaquah’s first Miyawaki forest, and removed invasive species like European holly and Himalayan blackberry throughout the Issaquah Alps. Our volunteers showed up, rain or shine, to dig, mulch, cut, trim, and plant, all so that these lands remain healthy.
The Miyawaki Forest, lush and thriving. Photo courtesy of Green Issaquah.
To celebrate all of the hard work our volunteers have done over the past year and throughout the organization’s history, this year, we’re partnering with Green Issaquah to host a Volunteer Celebration. After hearing project updates from each of our volunteer leaders, we’ll recognize those who have volunteered over the past calendar year. Light refreshments will be provided. Above all, this celebration is an opportunity for us to connect with our community and to highlight all of the work they do.
We welcome all of our volunteers, whether you showed up to one event or a dozen, to join us on September 10th from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at the Issaquah Community Center Lawn. Remarks and recognition of volunteers begin at 6:00 PM.
Check out our list of 2025 volunteers and 2026 volunteers.
Join us at the 2026 Volunteer Celebration by registering below.