Woodard Bay Natural Conservation Area
Shoreline restoration, interpretive signage & trails in thurston county, wa
Our team was involved in the shoreline development, interpretive signage, and trails of Woodard Bay Natural Conservation Area in Thurston County, WA. In 1987, the Washington legislature designed Woodard Bay as the first Natural Resources Conservation Area in the state. A wildlife sanctuary just minutes from downtown Olympia, this 800-acre site protects habitat ranging from marine shoreline and wetlands to mature second-growth forest. Our team worked for the Department of Natural Resources and partnered with local tribes to develop a low-impact design that protects and celebrates this habitat, reveals the unique and rich history of the site through interpretive elements, and provides new recreational opportunities. Work included the design of a solar-powered educational shelter, estuary overlooks, re-locating of existing historic structures, an accessible kayak launch, parking lot improvements, native restoration plantings, and interpretive design elements inspired by the site’s natural, indigenous and industrial history. Our team coordinated extensively with the local Squaxin Island Tribe in the design of interpretive cultural design elements.
This project was designed by Barker Landscape Architects (now with Environmental Works).
