Success Stories: Maximizing Sustainable Practices at Lake Wenatchee State Park
As one of five Centennial 2013 Model Stewardship Parks, Lake Wenatchee State Park is committed to reducing their impact on the environment. In the past two years the park has replaced lighting in restrooms, the park office, and in staff housing. By using efficient lighting, timers, and motion sensors they will continue to save energy.
The park maximized sustainable practices in restrooms by adding: energy efficient lighting, hand dryers, EcoSoft recycled toilet paper, low flow toilets, and Sloan waterless urinals.
The savings gained from efficient lighting offsets the power needs of the hand driers, which eliminates paper towel waste to landfills!
EcoSoft Green Seal toilet paper is 100% recycled fiber that is processed without using chlorine or its byproducts. The result is less solid waste in landfills and less hazardous chemicals in waterways.
Well water and waste water in restrooms are monitored with meters. Data collected helps the park in reaching water conservation goals.
State Parks, through Sustainability Plan goals, strives to attain a more sustainable world by using environmentally responsible products. Using resources like General Administration's Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) manual and other outside sources, Lake Wenatchee estimates over 70% of their cleaning products are safe for the environment.
An interpretive sign saying "Lake Wenatchee Goes Green!" tells visitors about the parks two new GEM Electric Vehicles. Powered by electricity means no emissions and no need for gasoline!
Lake Wenatchee's Wildfire Fuel Reduction-Forest Health Project goal is to reduce fuel levels and the potential for catastrophic wildfire, while improving forest health.
The project uses a suite of treatments to modify forest structure and composition in an effort to reduce wildfire risk, improve wildlife habitat, enhance visitor experience, and in general return the forest to a more natural, pre-fire suppressed, fire-tolerant condition. This sustainable practice project advances the agency's efforts in establishing Lake Wenatchee State Park as a Model Stewardship Park; and realizing vision of agency's Centennial 2013 Plan.
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