The goal of the Pressentin Park project is to enhance and reconnect historic and existing side channel habitat in Pressentin Park, along the Skagit River.

Located in the Upper Skagit Valley, Pressentin Park is part of the Skagit County Parks system and is largely undeveloped, providing open space and hiking trails for local residents. This project represents a unique opportunity to restore habitat for salmon and while also improving and providing additional recreational amenities to the community and visitors.

The project restores and reconnects a ½ mile relic side channel to re-establish floodplain habitat and provide critical habitat for Chinook salmon, and will increase prey abundance for declining Orcas as well as provide habitat for other salmonid species such as steelhead, chum, pink and coho.

Nearly 12,000 native plants were planted by volunteers, WCC, EarthCorps, and Skagit Fisheries staff to restore the surrounding riparian habitat. When the new channel was opened this spring, salmon immediately began utilizing the new habitat.

Local community members participated in multiple volunteer planting events. Signage has been installed along new trails and a salmon viewing station was built by volunteers along the edge of the side channel. Multiple pedestrian bridges provide an excellent loop trail and ample opportunity to view spawning salmon in the newly connected channel.

Local community members look forward to this park being a fantastic place for visitors to stop and fish, view salmon, or simply take a walk. The project restores more than 2 acres of high-quality Chinook rearing habitat as well over 12 acres of riparian habitat.

Funding for this project came from a number of sources including: SRFB, NFWF, Skagit County, US Forest Service and others.