Congratulations to the Parks Foundation’s Barb Trafton, Bainbridge Island Environmentalist of the Year! The award was announced at the annual Bainbridge Environmental Conference in March.
Barb has been a leader for parks and trails on Bainbridge Island since the 1990s, when she joined the successful effort to save land around Blakely Harbor from development that led to the creation of Blakely Harbor Park.
She was co-chair of the Pritchard Park design committee when that park was created beginning in 2004. While serving with the Bainbridge Island Land Trust, she ran the campaign to add the first “Olson Addition” to the Ted Olson Preserve. She was the co-chair of the first successful levy lid lift for the Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District in 2008, and founded the Student Conservation Corps youth park stewardship program.
Barb served as the Bainbridge Island’s Parks Foundation’s executive director for five years. She now serves as Projects Director, focusing on trails planning and development, park projects and stewardship.
“Barb works tirelessly to steward the parks and trails on our island,” says Mary Meier, Parks Foundation executive director. “She is such a celebrant of our public lands and trails, and her work inspires us all.”
The award is given annually at the Bainbridge Island Environmental Conference. It honors the late Jerome and Elane Hellmuth, longtime island activists and founders of the former Association of Bainbridge Communities, a network of neighborhood groups dedicated to identifying and working on environmental issues.