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Mini-Hylebos Gets Restoration and Trail Improvements
Description of 2003 restoration and trails work project at Bingaman Pond Park
In 2004, the Friends conducted a park enhancement project at Bingaman Pond on behalf of King County and County Councilman Pete von Reichbauer.
Tim Johnson-Grass of Earthcorps, Friends Executive Director Chris Carrel and King County Councilman Pete von Reichbauer enjoy the new bridge built by the Earthcorps crew at Bingaman Pond Park.
Working with Earthcorps, our frequent restoration collaborator, we widened and graded existing informal trails, built a bridge stream crossing, constructed a loop trail through the forest and planted native trees and shrubs.
Invasive plants were removed from the edge of the Bingaman Pond forest. Volunteers from the surrounding neighborhood, nearby Thomas Jefferson High School and local Boy Scout troops helped replant the wetlands and uplands with native species such as Western red cedar, Sitka spruce, salmonberry, dogwood and Nootka rose.
“Bingaman Pond is a unique natural resource for our community – a forest and wetland trail nestled among the surrounding suburbs,” said King County Councilman Pete von Reichbauer, whose district includes Bingaman Pond. “I am excited that this project is making Bingaman Pond more accessible and more enjoyable to the public.”
Bingaman Pond Open Space was created in 1997 due to the efforts of Councilman von Reichbauer and Friends of Bingaman Pond. Led by the efforts of park neighbors Lyle Lindblad and Bob Stafford, the Friends of Bingaman Pond introduced councilman von Reichbauer to the wetland, which was under threat of development. He introduced legislation that year preserving 22 acres of wetland, stream and forest as open space. Lindblad and Stafford have worked hard over the years to create trails and benches from which to view birds and other wildlife – and to protect the park from encroachments and new developments.
(A little) more information about Bingaman Pond can be found at King
County Parks' website. The park’s address is 28500 S. 37th in Federal Way.
Additional Bingaman Pond work is being planned now. Contact Restoration Coordinator Hillary Kleeb to volunteer.
