North End Native Plant Preserve

Preserve History

In 2003, Anne and Alan Hausrath purchased the property which would become the preserve. At that time, native vegetation on site was limited to a single sagebrush and several other assorted native shrubs and grasses surrounded by a sea of invasive cheatgrass, cereal rye, rush skeletonweed and other weeds. The preserve’s single trail was constructed by Charlie (age 12) and Wyatt (his older brother) Fereday and friends in 2004. Removal of invasive plant species by hand to enhance native plants began in 2005 and continues to this day. Anne and Alan, Jason, Janelle Wintersteen and many others too numerous to name have contributed thousands of hours of hand-weeding at the preserve. In 2011, Russ Buschert build the bench found at the top of the preserve for Alan and Anne’s 40^th wedding anniversary party. Over the years, the bench has served as a centerpiece for what appeared to be a wedding, prom pictures, Midsummer’s Eve celebrations and as a resting place for many joyous discoveries of the gorgeous view of Boise’s downtown and North End.

The city accepted the Hausrath’s donation of the Preserve in 2015 and in 2019, the city installed a sign making clear of the preserve’s status as a City of Boise park. The North End Native Plant Preserve is a testament to the power of stewardship as almost all the native plants found in the preserve were planted, seeded or naturally spread as weeds were removed.