Recreation Northwest

  • Stewarding the Fairhaven Park trail system we have utilized for years for the Traverse by removing invasive species, rerouting trails to improve access and restoring wetland habitat through native plantings.

New boardwalk. Photo by April Claxton

Work Parties

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Recreation Northwest became Park Stewards for Fairhaven Park in 2014. We chose this particular park due to the impact we have with the trail run leg of our Bellingham Traverse. We were quickly propelled into taking on a long-term project for the health of the forest and the benefit of our community.

We are proud to be working to relocate unsanctioned trails through fragile wetlands in this special urban forest. The new trail & boardwalk connects the popular park and forest. The trail was built to city specifications allowing increased and enjoyable access for people as well as protecting this important habitat for wildlife and the ecology of the forest.

In addition, 280 native trees and shrubs were planted in the old trail areas to help restore the wetland.

We will continue to host work parties to maintain the new planting areas and remove invasive species.

Click for a printer friendly PDF map.

Phase 2 before and after:

Phase 1 before and after:

 

 

 

 

 

Check out these links for photos and videos of the now completed trail & boardwalk project: 

Fairhaven Park Boardwalk – Building a Boardwalk in the Snow

Fairhaven Park Boardwalk – Status Update

Fairhaven Park Boardwalk – Clearing the Path

Fairhaven Park Boardwalk – Scraping the Surface

Fairhaven Park Boardwalk – First Layer of Gravel

Special Thanks to our Professional Trail TEAM:
Gerry Wilbour, NW Trails
Perry Welch, Welch Environmental
Andy Law, Wilson Engineering
Chris Webb, Herrera Environmental Consultants
Jim LaHatt, LaHatt Engineering
John Gillaspy, Materials Testing & Consulting, Inc.
Josh Neyman, City of Bellingham, Parks and Recreation
Rae Edwards, City of Bellingham, Parks and Recreation

 

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Fairhaven Park posts from our blog, The Confluence

  • Fairhaven Park Report

    As the year comes to an end, we are reporting to funders and to our mitigation partners. In short, we met our outcomes and exceeded our goals for our Fairhaven Park stewardship project, we accomplished the following 3 measurables. Below is a link to the full report compiled and submitted by Perry Welch, Welch Ecological... Read More →

  • Fairhaven Park Directional Trail Signage Project

    As Stewards of Fairhaven Park, people in the community have been asking us for directional trail signs to be installed. This will help them navigate through the trails in Fairhaven Park and connect with the Interurban and Chuckanut Drive on either side. We are willing partners to tackle this problem together for the public benefit.... Read More →

  • Thank you – Brett McCandlis Brown & Conner for your Fairhaven Park Work Party

    Last year we planted 286 native plants as part of our Fairhaven Park Trail and Boardwalk project. It is now our job to keep these plants alive! We have protected the plants with deer fencing to keep hungry intruders out. But that doesn’t keep out the invasive species! I went for a walk with Perry... Read More →