General Design Category

Madrona Woods Restoration - HONOR AWARD
Gaynor, Inc.

Project Description:
 PictureThis project is the story of a successful, dedicated and long-term partnership between Friends of Madrona Woods, a non-profit community organization, and GAYNOR, Inc., landscape architects. Together they have effectively transformed 10+ acres of natural area in Madrona Park, in east-central Seattle, from a neglected, dark, scary and invasive-species infested forest into an open, inviting and healthy native forest with wonderful trails, waterfalls and natural creek channels flowing to Lake Washington.

Friends of Madrona Woods formed in order to restore the natural areas of Madrona Park, known as Madrona Woods. Friends engaged Peggy Gaynor, Principal, GAYNOR, Inc., as their prime consultant.

Eleven years later, this partnership has proven to be amazingly effective with nearly all Master Action Plan goals accomplished. A 100% grassroots effort, all projects (design and construction) have been privately funded through grants, donations, sweat equity and pro bono services, including substantial contributions by GAYNOR, Inc. and several subconsultants

Madrona Woods Restoration Accomplishments:

  • 7-8 acres of diverse native forest and riparian habitats restored and enhanced, including the entire 3 acre watershed of Madrona Park Creek

  • 0.4 mile trail system built that is sustainable, scenic and safe, including long flights of box steps and several ADA accessible trailheads

  • Over 1/4 mile of natural Madrona Park Creek channel daylighted from its headwaters to Lake Washington

  • 2/3 acre of new native habitat and wetland cove created adjacent to Lake Washington, including 400+ lineal feet of natural shoreline and 600 lineal feet of fish-passable channel, providing rearing and refuge habitat for threatened juvenile Chinook and other salmon species

  • 4 waterfalls / cascades and approximately 30 step-down weirs built as part of Madrona Park Creek and another no-name creek restoration, offering visible and audible water experiences

  • Approximately 75 pieces of large woody debris and 200 granite boulders installed to stabilize creek channels and lakeshore, and provide habitat and visual interest

  • 7 years of hands-on Environmental Education Program conducted in the Woods with schoolchildren from several local elementary and secondary schools

  • 2 series of "Walks in the Woods" educational tours provided for the general public

  • More than 500 volunteers involved in restoration activities

The partnership continues, as habitat restoration, creek enhancement, maintenance and monitoring are ongoing.

Jury Comments:
 Many landscape architects are engaged with pro-bono projects, but few are as impressive as the Madrona Woods Restoration. The landscape architect's full range of processional skills have been deftly employed at all stages of the project, which entails visioning, design, construction, environmental education, and more. The result is impressive for its consistent long-term effort; it has been an eleven-year collaborative engagement between the landscape architect and a community of hundreds of volunteers. Equally impressive is the quality of the result. The accomplishments are formidable, including habitat restoration, landscape stabilization, trail construction, bridges, and water features. The project's central feature is the "daylighting" of a stream that feeds Lake Washington as well as a redesigned and restored shoreline. This was accomplished not by labor alone: the landscape architect worked with the community to obtain $850,000 in grants to finance the project, a model for other communities in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere.