Watch for July Opening at Possession Sound Preserve

Possession Sound Preserve, south of Clinton, is scheduled to open to the public in July 2021. The preserve features a half mile of natural shoreline and feeder bluffs, which benefit salmon.

Dan Weber can laugh now about the thorns and scrapes he endured last year. He can laugh because removing Himalayan blackberry and other invasive weeds means a wonderful new nature preserve on South Whidbey will soon be open to the public.

“I’m very pleased, to be honest with you,” Dan said.

The anticipated public opening of the Land Trust’s Possession Sound Preserve is now only a few months away thanks to the tireless efforts of volunteers such as Weber and his wife Laurie Carron, work crews, and Land Trust staff.

Laurie Carron and Dan Weber, volunteer site stewards at Possession Sound Preserve, combined for more than 500 hours of volunteer service at the preserve in 2020 to help get it ready for visitors.

Dan and Laurie are volunteer site stewards of the new preserve, living a short distance away in south Clinton. In 2020, they accomplished more than 500 hours of on-the-ground volunteer service at Possession Sound Preserve.

“It’s kind of been our COVID default,” Weber said. “A place to go and pretend COVID doesn’t exist.”

Possession Sound Preserve is indeed a lovely setting. With a winding walking trail from a new parking area, through mature upland forest, and down the rugged bluffs to a half mile stretch of natural shoreline, it is a place where visitors will be able to escape for a while and connect with nature.

Barring any unforeseen issues, these experiences will be available to the public in July 2021. There’s been a whirlwind of activity to get the preserve ready for visitors since the 45-acre property was permanently protected. A few highlights:

• 79 tons of creosote logs were removed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources.
• Tons of garbage and other debris were removed by volunteers and work crews.
• A newly built day-use parking area is settling until it can be used by vehicles.
• Hundreds of feet of split-rail fencing was installed along the steep trail to the beach.
• And volunteers like Dan and Laurie continue to remove invasive weeds that are then replaced with native plants.

We’re thrilled to be drawing closer to opening this exciting new preserve made possible because of the financial support of Land Trust members and grants from local, state and federal agencies. We’ll keep you posted.

Enjoy Images of Possession Sound Preserve