Work will begin in the next few weeks on shoreline habitat restoration at two island locations; Strawberry Plant Park and the east bluff of Pritchard Park. Both projects are supported by state and federal funds that promote natural resource habitat restoration in Eagle Harbor and the Puget Sound.

• Strawberry Plant Park — Activities at Strawberry Plant Park will create a more natural shoreline by removing fill and concrete along the waterfront and planting an intertidal marsh. The restoration efforts will improve habitat for fishes and water fowl while also providing safe recreational access to the shore.

Additional improvements at Strawberry Plant Park will replace the existing paved area with an upland park meadow and install a non-motorized boat launch, providing access for kayaks and other human-powered crafts. A beach access pathway will allow visitors to explore the shoreline. Once the marsh is established, it will also be accessible. Temporary goose fencing to protect new plantings from waterfowl will be in place until the marsh is established.

Strawberry Plant Park will be closed for approximately six weeks during the restoration activities, which are expected to be completed in mid-October. Improvements to the upland portion of the park will be developed in the future.

• Pritchard Park — Work at the east bluff of Pritchard Park will include removal of a bulkhead, restoring shoreline processes by allowing sediment to move from the park bluff to the beach. The project will also create a small habitat beach and a new pedestrian entrance, improving trail connections and allowing visitors to enjoy views across Puget Sound to Seattle and the Cascade mountains. The work will complete a two-phase project; the first phase, completed in 2009, replaced a roadway that was threatened by erosion with a new vehicle entrance.

Both shoreline restoration projects are funded through grants received from the Washington State Salmon Recovery Funding Board and Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) funds. The NRDA funds come from an account established to restore natural resource damage in Eagle Harbor resulting from the former creosote plant. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is conducting restoration activities at the former creosote plant site, also provided financial support for the new access road at the east end of Pritchard Park.

For more information, visit the Bainbridge Island’s website at www.ci.bainbridge-isl.wa.us.