From guest contributer Sarah Leingang:

In the hills of the Renton Highlands there is a charming little blueberry farm. This farm is located on about 3.5 acres of land, which is roughly equal to 3.5 football fields. This is quite a bit of land for a suburban neighborhood like the Highlands. Especially when considering how quickly these areas are being densely developed into much smaller lots covered for the most part with single family homes.

This farm has been Tucked away in between I-405 and Edmonds Ave, and has been enjoyed by countless families. But most visitors coming and going never realize the true value of the place they have visited.

So what’s the point of this random rambling? Well in recent years this bit of land has undergone a lot of discussion between those that want to develop and those that want to conserve. With the common residential zoning of R-4, you can build 4 homes per acres, which means that if there were no wetland issues there would be a potential for 14 homes to be built over this beautiful farm. Already the farm owner has expressed concerns about the effect neighboring developments has had on the microclimate of her farm. These effects include such items as the loss of trees as a wind buffer, and water run off from nearby land that used to water her farm but is now diverted uselessly into the city’s storm water system.

This little blueberry farm tucked into the highlands is a rare find. It has a value even greater than just a bit of green space in a ever more developed suburban neighborhood. What people most often miss when looking at this farm is that this bit of land is a truly unique and rare ecosystem known as a fen. A fen is an ecosystem similar to a bog; but what makes a fen different from a bog is that it is feed by a natural water source, not simply by rainwater. An official definition describes “The fen is a phase in the development of the natural succession from open lake, through reedbed, fen and carr, to woodland as the peat develops and its surface rises.”

A naturally occurring fen is a rare treasure to come across, and without protection this fen could soon be only a memory. If this farm were to be developed intensely, the loss of this complex and remarkable natural wonder would be truly unfathomable. And even if it is not developed, the rate of development nearby may alter the fen’s microclimate so much that is damaged and loss anyhow.

City stormwater retention laws would require that some land be set aside, to serve as a retaining pond to mimic the natural function of a wetlands ability to slowly recharge ground water sources and filter clean water back into the ground. But the small effort of a retaining pond could never truly recover the ability of a natural wetland, 1 acre of wetland 1 foot deep can hold up to 330,000 gallons of water. The complex nature of any ecosystem cannot be remade (even with the best of intentions) since there is so many layers of perfectly balanced life. From the obvious flora and fauna down to the bugs and algae and even down to the unseen but just as important bacteria within the hydrological soil all work in perfect harmony that we are simply unable to recreate just anywhere.

Any bit of green space within our ever developing Highlands is a rarity, and should be considered for conservation for us and future generations. And this small blueberry farm tucked in amongst many homes is easy to overlook, but it is not just a blueberry farm… it is a FEN that is worth saving.

Sarah Leingang grew up in Renton Highlands and graduated from Hazen in 2003. She has recently obtained her degree in Architecture.