Islands Trailhead Complete with Assist from Students
Thank you to the students from West Valley City School! Their kid power completed native planting and supported river clean-up at Islands Trailhead, located about half-a-mile downstream of Plante’s Ferry and directly below Arbor Crest in Spokane Valley. View photos.
A nice early shower softened the ground, then nature provided an assist with a break in the rain just as the students arrived. Said Nick Hamm, their teacher, “Part of our school mission is to have students go out into the community and work with experts. We want them to tie what they’re learning in the classroom to helping meet real world needs in the community.”
After 3 years of planning and permitting, the restoration of Islands Trailhead began in August. “A huge thank you to Kaiser Aluminum,” said Forum Executive Director Happy Avery. “As part of mitigation related to a project at their Trentwood plant upstream, they provided design, engineering and permit support. They then shared the $90,000 cost of construction with the Forum. It’s a great example of working together and leveraging resources to benefit the community.”
The Forum first partnered with the Spokane Conservation District in 2016 to create water trail access and restoration at Islands, introducing the first “slide system” built on the Spokane River. Permitting constraints, however, did not support construction below the high-water line. Subsequent erosion made getting from the bottom of the slide to the river very difficult, particularly during summer low-flows.
Our 2024 restoration efforts remedied the problem with design, permitting and construction below the high-water mark. Work included repairs to the slide and staircase, adding stone steps at the bottom of the staircase, placing a “boulder cluster” just upstream to slow high water flows and thus reduce erosion, and planting willows to support refuge for trout. The plantings by students were on the upland bank and ridge where equipment had disturbed the area.
Said Avery, “Islands is special because during summer it provides a lovely, easy flat-water paddle to Boulder Beach about 4 miles downstream. And restoring the riparian and upland areas has really improved the environment and look of the area for the thousands of people enjoying this section of the Centennial Trail.”