Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association

Keeping Parks Whole Grant Project

The iconic wooden boardwalk on the Cache Creek Nature Trail and Anderson Marsh State Historic Park allow passage into and over the riparian Cache Creek habitat at the Park, home to unique flora and wildlife. It is heavily used by both the public and in connection with public guided nature walks and public school field trips to the Park that are hosted by volunteers. Due to lack of funding, the boardwalk is suffering from serious deferred maintenance and in the past has had to be closed as unsafe.

Although it is now open, many boards over about 900 linear feet of the Boardwalk are cracked and loose and the guardrails present a splinter hazard. The wood has not had a protective finish applied recently and is deteriorating. The last repair to the boardwalk was performed in 2011. Repairs need to be made now before the boardwalk further deteriorates, but no state funding is presently available to do this. Unless repairs are made soon, the boardwalk could become unsafe to use and public nature walks and interpretive school field trips using the Cache Creek Nature Trail would have to be canceled until repairs are made. Unless significant repairs are completed over the summer, it is doubtful that AMIA will be able to offer guided nature walks and school field trips through this important habitat when the park fully re-opens. The grant will allow AMIA to donate the needed lumber, materials and supplies, and State Parks personnel will be assigned to complete the repairs over the summer using the donated materials so that the boardwalk is ready to be used when the park fully re-opens.