The Puget Sound Regional Council has selected the Japanese Gulch Fish Passage Improvement Project for a 2012 VISION 2040 award, which recognizes innovative projects and programs helping to ensure a sustainable future as our region grows.

The Japanese Gulch Fish Passage Improvement Project sought to eliminate fish barriers and daylight the Japanese Gulch Creek with the hopes of returning salmon to the stream. "This project created an innovative model for multiple levels of government and civic interests working together to achieve community environmental, cultural and educational goals," said Councilmember Stephanie Wright, who also serves as Chair of the VISION 2040 Awards Selection Committee.

The City of Mukilteo, Paine Field Airport, and Edmonds Community College were all recipients of the VISION 2040 Award for their participation. When remnants of an early 1900s lumber worker community were found, Edmonds Community College joined the project by training students to remove historic artifacts as part of its anthropology and archaeology field training program. The project also serves as part of the environmental mitigation for Pain Field, and helps preserve this valuable resource for the people of Mukilteo and Snohomish County.

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Join your friends and neighbors in making a difference at Lynndale Park on Saturday, October 27 at 9:30am. Lynnwood's fall park clean-up day will focus on efforts that include grappling with the villainous English Ivy and other invasive species to protect native vegetation, re-graveling hiking trails and laying down woodchips under playground equipment. These volunteer efforts help beautify and preserve our parks, which remain among our most important community assets.

For more information, please visit www.ci.lynnwood.wa.us/volunteer. You may RSVP with the Community Outreach Specialist at 425-670-5023 or by email at jmoore@ci.lynnwood.wa.us.

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