Executive Director Chris Carrel calls the Woodworth Pit, "the most valuable four hours of work I've ever done." For that amount of time spent on this property, the Friends achieved a multimillion dollar acquisition and restoration project.

When the property was offered for sale, Carrel knew the former gravel pit wouldn't have great development potential, but it did have great conservation value. The 11-acre property, adjacent the Lower Hylebos Marsh, contained 600 feet of Hylebos Creek, and a large swath of riparian buffer and uplands that could be restored to healthy native vegetation. He contacted John O'Louglin at the city of Tacoma, who he knew was looking for aquatic mitigation sites for the city.

Carrel and O'Loughlin spent a couple of hours on site, assessing the property's potential. Then, the Tacoma employee conducted further investigations, ultimately finding it to be a suitable site for the city. Tacoma purchased the property in 2004 and the next year built a restoration project that included creation of off-channel aquatic habitat, large woody debris and native tree and shrub plantings.

Not bad for a few hours on the phone and in the field!