By Julia Bevens/Robyn Roberts
Special to the Journal
Two juniors at Friday Harbor High School, Julia Bevens and Robyn Roberts, recently completed their Community Service Project in conjunction with the National Park Service.
Every student at Friday Harbor High is required to create and complete a project that will benefit the San Juan Island community.
As equestrians, Julia and Robyn have enjoyed riding the multi-use trails on Mitchell Hill, formerly managed by state Department of Natural Resources and which are now part of National Park Service property, for several years, and they felt that helping to trim and clear the trails as they become overgrown with new life each spring would be a worthy project.
This year, however, spring did not arrive in a timely manner and the two students were left wondering how to complete a trimming project—with nothing yet to trim.
The dilemma was short-lived, as Theresa Simendinger, Robyn and Julia’s mentor extraordinaire, expanded the girls’ project to duplicate a puncheon developed by Mark Hetrick, that was installed in a different location last fall.
A puncheon, in less technical terms, is a long, low, removable bridge.
Hetrick, a member of the mountain biking community, and Rik Karon, a member of the equestrian community, had seen the need for a puncheon in this location for several years and signed on to the project as construction mentors. Julia and Robyn also embraced the project with greater enthusiasm than for the original trimming project.
The placement of this new puncheon on one of the few multi-use trails would help to alleviate damage to a seasonal water crossing. The new puncheon would replace an old worn out makeshift structure that was beginning to fail, and would improve the crossing safety, while protecting the natural resources in a sensitive area.
The old crossing had created a mud-hole that was altering the natural watercourse. These factors were instrumental in securing the approval and funding necessary for the project.
As project mentor, Simendinger introduced the girls to Sue Husari, who at that time was San Juan Island National Historic Park’s acting superintendent, Jerald Weaver, chief of integrated resources, Ken Arzarian, head of Parks maintenance, and David Harsh, also of the National Park Service. Harsh served as liaison for the group.
The San Juan Trails Committee was then approached, as was Island Rec, which both gave generously to the project. Other outstanding donors were a local bike shop, several horse ranches and individual equestrians and hikers.
Karon and Hetrick were also instrumental in securing the materials graciously discounted by Browne’s Lumber.
The work crew was comprised of a Park Service crew of Harsh, Weaver and Arzarian; Karon and Hetrick, high school students Samuel McMain and Blair Powers, Simendinger, project mentor, and Julia and Robyn, and several parents.
The puncheon was installed on site Saturday, April 21, and was functioning well in a matter of hours because of the intense pre-planning and preparation of all those involved.
Thank you, all.
