On Monday the City of Issaquah presented its annual environmental awards at City Hall. Ava Frisinger, Mayor of Issaquah 1998-2014 received the Ruth Kees Environmental Award, the city’s highest honor for environmental advocacy.
The Issaquah Highlands Community Association (IHCA) was chosen as the first Community Environmental Award honoree. This award recognizes outstanding achievements by individuals, groups and organizations to conserve, protect and preserve Issaquah’s environmental resources and attributes through community action.
Since its creation in 1996, the IHCA, our homeowner’s association, has been dedicated to environmental excellence.
The IHCA exemplifies its “Living Green” tagline in many ways, including sustainable landscape management practices, wetland restoration and preservation, and innovative practices, such as using goats to control weeds and invasive plants, and utilizing a stormwater irrigation system that conserves potable water.
The awards were accompanied by trophies consisting of a local bird (a junco?) perched on a pedestal. These sculptures were made by Karen Abel, Executive Director of artEAST. Karen is a leader for the arts in Issaquah Highlands as well as in the greater Issaquah area. When asked how her sculptures were selected, she humbly explained, “Each year Amy and David Fujimoto (City of Issaquah Office of Sustainability) come in and shop the [Up Front Art] gallery. They choose a different item and artist each time. We have many works of art that fall into the “environmental” theme and in the lower price point. It works out well. Just so happened that this year they purchased my work.”
