WHO
WE ARE
We are nature lovers who appreciate the varied ecosystem at Mclane Creek & Nature Trail. We have gathered to protect this vital resource in Thurston County.
Friends of McLane supports the complex ecosystem and territorial views around the McLane Creek Nature Trail, which is nestled between Black Lake and the Black Hills. We acknowledge through time immemorial that this land is located on the traditional, nomadic, and ancestral home of both the Nisqually and Squaxin people whose history, culture, and environmental stewardship continue to influence this vibrant community. We are humbled and honored.
FRIENDS OF MCLANE (FOM) FOUNDING MEMBERS
Sarah
Sarah grew up in Thurston County. She has been hiking the Black Hills since childhood and continues today. She often treks through Bears U1 & U2 following elk, discovering seasonal ponds, and admiring the complex tree system that makes the area unique. And, as a realtor, she understands the value forest and recreation areas can add to Thurston County’s property values. She is leading FOM’s education efforts and engagement with other conservation organizations.
Michelle
Michelle grew up in Thurston County and stayed to raise a family. When her children were young and they lived in Olympia, Michelle found that excursions to the McLane Creek Nature Trail were a great escape from city life and an opportunity to expose her kids to the state’s natural beauty, experience the annual salmon run, and appreciate the abundant wildlife in the area. To this day, she often sits at the Beaver Pond to admire ducks and spy eagles hunting the overlooking forests. She is leading FOM’s research and community engagement efforts.
Sam
Sam grew up in Olympia where he developed a deep appreciation for the hill-to-sea wonders in the South Puget Sound. Although retired from 40 years of service in WA state government, he remains an adjunct professor of economics and government finance and works as a criminal/forensic research and evaluation consultant. To unwind, Sam often spends his evenings sitting on his back deck, admiring the sunset as it dips below the hills of the McLane Creek Nature Trail. He is leading FOM's civic engagement and legal advocacy efforts.
Eric
Eric grew up surrounded by similar forests in Arkansas - verdant old-growth trees near important watersheds. After a career as photographer and post-secondary educator, he retired and refocused on wetlands and their preservation. Along the way he wrote a book about his adventures as “an accidental advocate” for Fanno Creek, a battered urban stream in Portland. Eric now finds joy in photographing and blogging about the small miracles of nature. He is particularly interested in the fate of McLane Creek’s salmon and its principle tributary, Beatty Creek. Eric is leading FOM’s ecology research, advocacy, and conservation efforts.
Linda
Recently moved to the area and drove through the Capitol Forest. She was horrified by the bald hills and devastation that clearcut logging creates. She often brings visiting family and friends to the McLane Creek Nature Trail and was appalled to learn the adjacent old-growth forests are on the chopping block. She is lending her administrative and graphic design skills to FOM.
CONSERVATION PARTNERS
Contact Us
FOM Address
1001 Cooper Point RD SW #140 #216
Olympia, WA 94158
Where is the DNR's McLane Creek Nature Trail?
46.995207,-123.004159