Workers have wrapped up one of the last phases of a project to clean up years of trash accumulation and restore damaged wetlands at Lion's Park west of Hailey.
The site is a former landfill that was abandoned decades ago and contained large amounts of rubbish buried underground until this summer.
Spearheaded by the Hailey-based Wood River Land Trust, the project seeks to restore the area adjacent to the Big Wood River to create a larger, more naturally functioning wetland and riparian area, the group's project coordinator Kathryn Goldman said in early July.
On Wednesday, Goldman and others completed a planting effort on top of the area where approximately 1,200 tons of waste was removed in recent weeks.
"All the trees and shrubs went in," she said.
Goldman said massive excavation project prior to this week's planting effort uncovered many odds and ends, including ovens, water heaters, car parts and, even, a completely intact dog skull. They also found numerous glass bottles, "lots and lots and lots of glass bottles," she said.
From here on out, the area will be hyrdoseeded with native grasses and a watering system will begin operating to help the trees, shrubs and grasses establish. The watering program will last for two to three years, Goldman said, so the plants can sink their roots in.
They will also be monitoring the restored area for weeds during the coming years.
The Croy Creek Restoration Project removed dumped material and fill from the area to restore the natural elevation of the land. In the future, it will also lead to the construction of a small boardwalk or overlook with interpretive signs so the public can view beaver ponds and access the area.
The site of the project is immediately north of the 84.5-acre Draper Wood River Preserve, which the land trust purchased and permanently protected in 2007. Most of the work being done is immediately south of the ballpark at Lion's Park, which is owned by the city of Hailey.
Working with the city, the land trust hopes to design a publicly accessible trail system in the area that links the newly restored lands with the Draper Wood River Preserve, she added.
"We would like to work with the city to make that happen," she said.
Pamela Tucker, a volunteer with the Hailey-based Wood River Land Trust, plants a shrub in a restored area in Lion’s Park west of Hailey. Excavators recently removed 1,200 tons of accumulated trash in preparation for the restoration project, which seeks to create a larger, more naturally functioning wetland and riparian area. Photo by David N. Seelig
