After the Bainbridge Island Land Trust was formed in 1989, Phyllis Young placed the second conservation easement, designating her property at Battle Point Spit on the west side of the island for preservation.
She was honored in 2000 and every year since with an award in her name presented to those whose efforts to preserve and steward the island have been exemplary.
Past recipients include Dwight Sutton (2001), Alan and Sally Black (2002), Perry Barrett (2003), Bay Hay & Feed (2004), Bart Berg (2005), City Road End Advisory Committee (2006), Dave and Alice Shorett (2007), Charles Schmid (2008), Paul and Debbi Brainerd (2009) and Vince and Kay Mattson (2010).
This year, Bainbridge resident and Land Trust supporter Ann Powel has been named the 2011 Phyllis Young Award recipient.
Ann will be presented with the award at the Land Trust’s annual membership meeting and potluck, at 6:30 p.m. tonight at Conger Hall, St. Cecilia’s Church.
Dave Thorne will receive the Volunteer of the Year award.
In 1993, Ann and her late husband John Powel donated a conservation easement to BILT on their Port Madison shoreline property, their home since 1954.
That property is now the site of the Powel Shoreline Restoration Project in which nearly 1,500 linear feet of nearshore and its associated riparian habitat will be restored with the planting of native vegetation. The habitat is crucial to juvenile salmon, forage fish, birds, insects and other wildlife. The project includes the removal of bulkheads and other shoreline armoring.
Valuable baseline information about the aquatic species in this nearshore environment was collected as part of the Beach Seining Program conducted by the Suquamish Tribe, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the City of Bainbridge Island.
The project was financed through a $286,000 grant from the state Salmon Recovery Funding Board with matching funds by the Powel family and other sources.
“Ann has been the key driver behind sticking with this restoration project,” BILT Director Asha Rehnberg wrote in a press release.
“I have to attribute it to my husband; he was so devoted to the aims of the Land Trust and to trying to keep the land open,” Powel said.
She has been active in supporting the Land Trust’s Hilltop parkland acquisition as well. She was a close friend of Prudence Trudgian, one of the original owners of the property.
“Prue was one of my dearest friends,” Powel said. “I know her property from 50 years ago so it’s very intimate, in a sense. It seemed the right thing to do.”
Ann and her family also have a long history of providing their saltwater pool as a wildlife shelter for rescued marine animals, including baby seals. The saltwater pool was also used as a nursery for a project to restore native Olympia oyster beds.
Bainbridge Island Land Trust annual membership meeting and potluck
The Bainbridge Island Land Trust’s annual membership meeting and potluck, will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, at Conger Hall, St. Cecilia’s Church, 1310 Madison Ave. Bring your own serving spoon, plate and utensils. Live music provided by Mike Derzon and Agate Pass.
To learn more, visit www.bi-landtrust.org.
