Fox Island Nature Center - What's Next?

NEW Nature Center Trail Map!  Download your copy!

An update on our 'gardening' project at the Wetland Park.  Four scout projects are now under way at the Nature Center.

Eagle Scout candidate Ryan Eason of Boy Scout Troop 212, has completed the Native Species Garden in the far left hand area of the diagram.

Eagle Scout candidate Garrett McKinney  of Boy Scout Troop 212, has built raised walkways across the marshy areas of the nature trail.

Ian Johnson of Boy Scout Troop 217 recently completed his trail-building project, which expanded the Nature Center's trail system, and installed plant identification markers along the trails.

Zach Briggs of Boy Scout Troop 282 completed construction of three picnic tables, and a picnic area.

The Cub Scouts have built and installed birdhouses in various areas of the park.

Girl Scout Troop 290, led by Leader Lise' Ohlson is recently completed a flower & shrub garden in the circular area at right.  They are working on a service project to help earn their Girl Scout Bronze Award.

Pam Britschgi created the garden design shown above.

Commemorative bricks are in the final stages of preparation for installation.  As soon as the weather warms up, they will be installed.

Our to-do list is growing shorter;

Contact John Ohlson at 253-549-2701 for more information about these projects.

FICRA Purchases Wetland,
Scouts Help Make it a Park

2004 marked the beginning of a new era in recreational opportunities for the Fox Island Community & Recreation Association (FICRA), with the acquisition of 5 acres of wetland and rainforest property now known as the Fox Island Nature Center and wildlife preserve. 2005 will see the grand opening of the new park, which opens this Saturday, in conjunction with the annual FICRA Fair.

This property was purchased with donations from Fox Island residents through a wildly successful fund raising drive following the 2004 FICRA Fair in August 2004. Over $40,000 was raised in just over 90 days, in one of the most successful fundraising efforts in recent Island history.

Volunteers helped clear overgrown trails and fallen trees to create the walking paths. Cub Scouts from Fox Island's Pack 202, Girl Scouts from Fox Island's Troop 290 and Boy Scouts from Gig Harbor Troops 282 and 212 also contributed significantly to the development of our new park, by volunteering for work parties and special community service projects.

Footbridge Project
Keith Buchanan (pictured above, and below right), an Eagle Scout candidate from Gig Harbor's Troop 282 took on the most challenging of the projects; building a 60' footbridge and viewing platform over the stream that runs through the property.

This project fulfilled his Eagle rank requirement to perform a project that benefited the community. After an arduous 3-month experience with the Pierce County Planning & Land Use department, which included a six week waiting period just to apply for the permits, the environmental review was completed, permits for the bridge were secured, and construction began on June 18th. Working conditions proved to be less than optimal; while digging in the muddy soil to place the concrete piers, the holes filled in with water as fast as they could bail them out.

Keith’s parents Bryan and Margaret Buchanan donated a third of the cost of the bridge, purchasing 143 bags of concrete and hardware for the bridge piers, which were hand-carried out to the work site by scout volunteers. A fundraising drive in July provided the funds to purchase the balance of the materials for the bridge, and the project was completed in time for the FICRA Fair on August 13th.

As an added incentive to boost the fundraising effort, Keith pledged to cut his long, red hair if he reached his fundraising goal of $2000. Donations exceeded $3000, and while Keith did get his hair cut, enough extra money was raised to pay for the park's informational kiosk, which will recognize those who have donated exceptional amounts of time and money to the park.

The Boy Scouts require Eagle candidates to complete their badge requirements prior to their 18th birthday. Although Keith started his project well in advance back in February, the delays in the permitting process caused the project to be completed with only three days to spare. He turned 18 on August 9th.

FICRA President and Eagle Scout John Ohlson served as Keith’s project advisor for the 6 month long project, providing planning assistance, carpentry expertise, and plenty of sweat equity in the bridge construction.

Many scout volunteers joined Keith in getting the bridge built.  Numerous work parties over the seven week construction period helped dig holes for the foundations, clear brush, haul concrete bags, drill holes and nail boards together.

The bridge was the final link that completed the nature trail loop, spanning the creek and crossing over several fallen trees.

On Saturday, August 6th, it all ended as it had begun; Keith and fellow scout Paul Sayre who broke ground back in June, put in the final 400 deck screws to attach the decking, to complete the project.

Park Bench Project
13 year old Eagle Scout candidate John Uehlin, (pictured below and at right with his father Cliff) from Troop 212 in Gig Harbor, headed up the second Eagle service project. He constructed and installed 10 park benches that are located alongside the trail at various points of interest through the wetland. The benches will bear the names of donors who contributed $500 towards the purchase of the wetland property last fall.

John pre-fabricated the benches in his garage using donated materials, and assembled them on site in assembly-line fashion.

The bridge and the benches are made of pressure treated lumber, Trex composite decking and legs of heavy concrete, to help them withstand the Northwest’s rainy winters.  The benches were built with 40 - 80# bags of concrete, 300 linear ft of decking, 680 deck screws, 93 board feet of treated lumber and 40-12 inch galvanized bolts.  Each bench weighs over 400 pounds.  All of the materials were donated by area businesses and other donors.

Teams of scout volunteers hauled the heavy concrete legs through the woods on garden carts and makeshift stretchers, often through tight turns and muddy trails.  

John's completion of his Eagle requirements at 13 years old is an unusual accomplishment. Most scouts use a bit more of their scouting career to earn their Eagle; most achieving Scouting's highest rank when they are 16 to 17 years old.

The Fox Island Garden Clubs have also pitched in to help shape our park. Plantings of natural plant species are planned to help landscape the main trailhead area. Bird houses and bat houses have been constructed from donated lumber, to be installed by Cub Scouts from Pack 202.

FICRA has supported the Scouting program in helping many other Fox Island Scouts attain their Eagle rank, by sponsoring their community service projects at the Nichols Center.

Cedar picnic tables from Matt Wiley, the Fire Pit by Matt Randle, and refurbishing our flagpole by Mark McKinney are just a few.

FICRA would like to extend a big THANK YOU to all the volunteers, donors, and FICRA members who came together as a community to make our Nature Center a reality, and preserve a pristine, natural part of Fox Island for generations to come.

A grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the park was held during the FICRA Fair at Noon on Saturday, August 13, 2005.

Cub Scouts Help Clear Trails

On Saturday, March 3rd, Cub Scouts from Fox Island's Pack 202 spent the day cleaning up fallen trees, branches and other debris from the trails at the Fox Island Nature Center.

The December 14, 2006 windstorm toppled more than 20 trees at the Nature Center, including this big Hemlock tree, near the trailhead at 9th Avenue.

The Cub dads cut up fallen trees, and the boys helped roll the logs out of the trails.

Above: Spencer, Nicholas Nerli, Max Batanian, Alex Ohlson and Zach Batanian explore the roots of the fallen Hemlock tree.

Below: Nicholas Nerli, Zach Batanian, Alex Ohlson and Nicholas Prindiville roll a log off the trail.

Below: Alex Ohlson, Nicholas Nerli, Max & Zach Batanian clear a trail of fallen branches.

Thanks to all of our Cub Scout volunteers: Tim, Zach, Max & Lucas Batanian, Paul and Nicholas Nerli, Connor and Nina Spencer, Kurt and Nicholas Prindiville, Alex & John Ohlson, Dave Alberding, Bryan Perkins, and Nicole Perkins.

Scouts Build New Picnic Tables for Nature Center
Eagle Scout candidate Zach Briggs of Gig Harbor Boy Scout Troop 282, recently completed his community service project by building three new picnic tables and clearing out a new picnic area for the Fox Island Nature Center.

The tables were built from lumber left over from the footbridge project two years ago, and were just the perfect fit for Zach's project.

Work on the project included clearing invasive weeds and brush, leveling the picnic area, and spreading wood chips to help prevent weeds from returning.

Zach (back row, far right) joins his fellow scouts and dads in admiring the completed picnic tables.