Forest Steward Highlight- Marilyn and Bob in Pioneer Park

Pioneer Park is one of the most well-used and most beloved parks on the island. With its 113 acres and 6.5 miles of trail there is plenty of room to play, hike, bird watch, and recreate. It also means there is quite a lot of forest that needs care. It may not come as a surprise then, that we have 9 dedicated Forest Stewards for this park alone.

This December Forest Steward Highlight focuses on the work of 2 of the 9 Pioneer Park Stewards, Bob and Marilyn Cornwell. They first became Forest Stewards in 2023 and since then have helped to bring many different people into the park, whether it’s through fearlessly leading people through ivy and blackberry removal in their work site in the southeast quadrant, or through leading peaceful Mindfulness Walks throughout the park. Since starting they have led between 1-2 events every month! Their commitment and dedication to getting others involved in restoration efforts have more than paid off. They have brought over 120 people into the park, removing thousands of sq ft of ivy, and planting hundreds of native plants.

Here's what Bob and Marilyn had to say about their involvement in the Forest Steward Program:

“We moved to the island in late 1991, in awe of the parks and forests of this community so close to the bigger city. We loved raising our son here with so many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors so close to our home on the south end of the island. Driving down Island Crest Way through the trees, our shoulders rolled back as the stress of our off-island jobs decreased with every mile. Pioneer Park, less than a block away from home, anchored and restored us in so many ways. It was during these years that Pioneer Park was made a land trust, to preserve it for the benefit of the current community and future generations.

As our family matured and moved to a home near Ellis Pond, Pioneer Park remained an anchor point for outings that remain a significant part of maintaining our health and well-being. Now that we are retired, we have more time to give back this community, choosing to volunteer as Forest Stewards. We enjoy the work of gathering with other volunteers to facilitate removing non-native species in a park that feels like home.

As you stroll, hike, run or ride in Pioneer Park you will see large and small piles of plant debris, primarily English ivy and Himalayan blackberry, that are composting in place. These non-natives crowd out our native species as they seek sunlight and nutrients. Hundreds of volunteers have helped Forest Stewards remove non-natives and then plant native species. Brightly colored tags highlight the new plants that will grow and thrive to provide insects, birds, and other species what they need to keep the Pioneer Park ecosystem healthy in the future.

Because Mercer Island’s parks have been such significant places for me to restore my rootedness and nurture my spirit, I am delighted to volunteer as a guide for others to engage the parks in new ways through Forest Mindfulness Walks, beginning in Pioneer Park. Walking mindfully in the park’s Forest is an opportunity to be present to the reciprocal nature of our inter-dependence and bring all of our senses to the feast of complex abundance spread out before us. Please join us!”

You can join Marilyn on an upcoming Mindfulness Walk this December, on Tuesday the 17^th from 9:30-10:30am by registering here. Additionally, you can help Bob and Marilyn complete the initial round of restoration in their work site by helping them to plant native plants later-on this winter.

Many thanks to Bob and Marilyn for all their hard work and commitment to bettering their community.

Inspired by Bob and Marilyn’s story? Want to become a Forest Steward yourself? Please download the application attached below and email the completed form to restoration@mercerisland.gov