As a culmination of the first year of a paid internship project, youth leaders from Unleash the Brilliance planted 250 native trees and shrubs on Saturday, March 2 in the Black River Riparian Forest.

The goal was to improve water quality in Springbrook Creek and provide habitat for wildlife.

Springbrook is a “Lost urban creek” which bubbles out of the ground as drinking water for the city of Renton and quickly becomes a polluted stormwater ditch choked out by invasive plants.

The youth interns are leading the effort to restore Springbrook and put it on the map as a community asset, according to Eloise Harris with Puget Soundkeeper.

The City of Renton Parks Department has facilitated access to the site and provided tools and plants. Youth interns have spent the past year learning about water quality, community activism and forest ecology in preparation for the volunteer day.

The internship, part of the Lost Urban Creeks project, was a partnership between Unleash the Brilliance, Puget Soundkeeper and Forterra who participated in the event.