Washington Wildlife Crossings Field Course
"Creating Connections through People and Processes"
Field Tour Summary and Photos
On June 3, 2008, members of the field trip planning team led course attendees on a bus and walking tour of the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East project, located between Hyak and Easton, Washington. The tour visited several points of interest along the 15-mile project corridor where wildlife connectivity and habitat restoration are being emphasized.
The tour group leaders represented various state, federal and conservation organizations involved with the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East project including the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition, Western Transportation Institute, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
 Randy Giles, WSDOT I-90 project engineer, introduces the tour group to the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East project as the bus travels along the project corridor. |
 Patty Garvey-Darda, of the USFS and WSDOT I-90 Mitigation Development Team, educates the group about landmarks along the I-90 project corridor. |
The tour group stops along I-90 at Gold Creek to discuss development pressures from adjacent lands, managing habitat around crossing structures, and using an underpass to facilitate large-scale hydrologic restoration. |
Current under-crossing located at Gold Creek. |
Jason Smith, WSDOT environmental manager for the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East project, informs the tour group about land development pressures in the upper Kittitas County and underpass restoration issues at Gold Creek Pond. |
A captivated audience listens as tour leaders discuss hydrologic restoration at Gold Creek Pond. |
Back on the tour bus, Rob Schanz, WSDOT Hydrologist, continues discussions about hydrologic restoration efforts along the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East project corridor. |
Jen Watkins, from Conservation Northwest and the I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition, also guides the bus tour along the I-90 project corridor. |
At the Price Creek Eastbound rest area stop, Jen Watkins (far left) and other tour leaders take the group on a snowy hike to the Yakima River. During the short walk, Jen points out connectivity emphasis areas. |
A view from the trail during the walk from Price Creek Eastbound rest area to the Yakima River. |
Another view from the trail as the tour group crosses a log footbridge during the walk from Price Creek Eastbound rest area to the Yakima River. |
Jason Smith and Randy Giles talk about wildlife monitoring at the Price Creek Eastbound rest area. |
Patty Garvey-Darda also educates the tour group about wildlife monitoring efforts and the proposed over-crossing at Rock Knob at the Price Creek Eastbound rest area. |
Randy Giles speaks about overpasses at the Price Creek Eastbound rest area. |
The bus tour breaks for lunch at Crystal Springs Sno-Park along I-90. |
After lunch, the group discusses issues related to managing recreation in habitat adjacent to structures. Pictured is the pond at Crystal Springs Sno-Park. |
Closer view of the mountain behind the pond at Crystal Springs Sno-Park. |
Larry Mattson, WSDOT assistant environmental manager, guides the tour as the bus continues along the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East project corridor. |
The tour group explores an island of habitat between eastbound and westbound lanes near Easton/Sparks Road. Here Randy Giles and Patty Garvey-Darda explain the use of wildlife exclusion fencing for this area of the project. |
At the Easton/Sparks Road stop, Patty Garvey-Darda discusses and gathers feedback on fencing for wildlife around the habitat island. |
Patty Garvey-Darda, James Begley of the Western Transportation Institute, and Jen Watkins discuss wildlife monitoring with the tour group at the Easton/Sparks Road stop. |
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