From lupine to lavender, Federal Way residents got the chance to learn about native plants from representatives of the Washington Native Plant Society (WNPS) at the South King Tool Library on Saturday, April 5.

The Native Plant Stewardship Program educates community volunteers about the local region’s native plants and plant communities, and “teaches them how to use this knowledge to protect and restore Washington’s natural ecosystems,” according to their website.

WNPS has committed over 20 years of steward training to conserve, protect and sustain the biodiversity of the native flora of Washington.

At the April 5 workshop, Joe Albrecht shared information about how to identify and nurture native plants — and how to battle their noxious counterparts.

Noxious weeds are “invasive, non-native plants that threaten agricultural crops, local ecosystems, or fish and wildlife habitats,” according to the Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board.

Some common examples include Himalayan blackberry, English ivy and Japanese knotweed.

Participants in the workshop asked questions about removing these plants and also gained some pro tips on resources to help identify plants and care for them.

Brenda Gonzales told the Mirror that she grew up in Federal Way and attended the workshop because she is interested in learning about native plants.

She shared that she was really impressed with the level of scientific knowledge and detail that Albrecht and the South King Tool Library staff shared, especially their helpful tips on cleaning tools and giving plants a healthy start when first transplanting them.

The workshop focused on providing information in mostly a home garden or personal property context, but WNPS is also involved in local parks. One offering from WNPS is the chance to become a native plant steward and become part of a group of passionate folks who are nurturing native plant life and wildlife habitat in Federal Way parks.

Federal Way now has 20 of these master native plant stewards who have been improving the native plant diversity in local parks, specifically Steel Lake Annex and Celebration Park.

Albrecht shared in an email that these new stewards “are a diverse group that includes current and former teachers, an entomologist, a trail builder, a park ranger, an artist, recent college and high school graduates, a rock climber, an IT professional, and the executive director of the South King Tool Library, to name just a few.”

April is National Native Plant Month and is also the month that Earth Day is celebrated. In Federal Way, April also means that Parks Appreciation Day is celebrated. This year, that will be on April 26.

The next restoration work party hosted by WNPS is coming up starting at 9 a.m. April 19 at Steel Lake Park located at South 312th Street in Federal Way.

The rain garden at the South King Tool Library is in full bloom, adding to the experience for participants in a native plant workshop on Saturday, April 5.