The Bainbridge Island Metro Parks & Recreation District teen summer employment wrapped up its 13th year working in island parks.

This summer, 40 teens donned bright neon shirts and spent their summer working with the park district’s Natural Resources team, managing invasive species, installing boot brush stations, spreading mulch, and improving habitat in nine island parks.

During nine weeks and three summer sessions, teen crews removed 175 yards of invasive species of ivy, holly, Scotch broom, herb Robert, blackberry, and more.

The crews installed two new boot brush stations at Blakely Harbor Park and Gazzam Lake Nature Preserve, funded by a grant from the Bainbridge Island Parks & Trails Foundation, to curb the spread of invasive weed seeds from boots and shoes.

Crews worked 3,200 hours in nine parks across Bainbridge Island and spent 19 lunch hours learning from conservation professionals speaking about working in the conservation field.

Topics included studying salmon habitat in Kitsap County with Hannah Brush and Theo Suver from the Suquamish Tribe, forestry and geometry with Andrew Wodnik from Silva Solutions, and a special visit from biologist Mike Pratt and Orion the Owl.

“Each summer the enthusiasm, dedication, and humor of these teens for the dirty job of removing invasive species in our island’s parks astound me,” parks volunteer program manager Morgan Houk said. “Watching crew members grow in confidence, develop plant ID knowledge, and make lasting friendships is endlessly inspiring.”

Parks, BI Parks & Trails Foundation, the Bainbridge Island Land Trust, and the Bainbridge Island Community Foundation fund the Student Conservation Corps.