Hidden in the forest surrounding the city of Shelton, Washington lies a beautiful fresh body of water known as Cranberry Lake. The Lake is surrounded by coniferous forests, and spotted with natural wetlands and pristine fen environments. This landscape has been the center of our design studies this quarter. We would like to introduce you to our site by giving a brief history of the land itself. We will then inform you of the plans that are being made to ensure the extension of this complex ecosystem into the future.

Cranberry Lake is situated just northeast of downtown Shelton. Shelton is a logging town. For many years now, logging has been a primary source of income for the city. Many of the individuals who live and work in this town grew up in the business and continue it today. One such individual is Kenny Frank. Kenny was the proud landowner of the eastern portion of Cranberry Lake and the land surrounding its shores for many years. His property included one square mile of land, which has been managed through timber harvesting since he acquired it. Recently, Kenny has opted to donate the land to a trust. The trust will ensure that the land is managed as he declares, and offers no chance of a future sell out. With the help of the Advisory Board for the Foundation, Kenny has secured this trust. Now, he and his board members are taking steps to define the future uses of the property. The land is to be used for educational purposes, with the financial aid of continued selective logging providing necessary support.

The lake itself spans the property of two different owners. Kenny's 640 acres of trust land surround the eastern half, while Simpson Timber Company has ownership of the western portion of the lake. It is an extremely shallow body, reaching only about 14 feet at its deepest point. The lake is fed by groundwater, which has kept it in peak form even as surrounding lakes succumb to pollution. In fact, the United States Fish and Wildlife Services recognizes its near pristine quality, using it as a control for water quality experiments. The shallow part of the lake is near the west property line. This is where wild cranberries - which gave the lake its name - can be found. Over the years, this portion of the lake has slowly begun to fill in. Now we find a series of wetlands and a rare fen decorating that piece of the landscape. It is these fragile ecosystems that need to be protected and prized. Currently, the lake, wetlands, streams, and fens are protected by state regulation, which prohibits logging 150-200 from their edges. Under no circumstances may landowners invade these stream and water body buffers. Building, logging, or any other disruptive venture must respect these boundaries. You will learn about this area in more detail in the following project descriptions.

The forests surrounding the lake have been continuously harvested for the last 100 years. Therefore, they are not pristine forest habitat and require ongoing maintenance. Therefore, they are already lacking perfect health. There are, however, several variations on the individual stands. The site contains stands ranging from mature to very young. Some are actually quite old, and demonstrate the beginnings of a restored system. Others have been clear cut, and allowed to sprout up weak and narrow trees. This portion of the landscape is a valuable illustration of the cultural history of the city of Shelton. It shows how humans have interacted with the land, and what has resulted from that relationship. Larry Mason, a professor at the University of Washington Department of Forest Resources, has completed extensive studies on these stands. He has actually gone through and described each stand according to a list of criteria, mapped them, and studied the trees in each grouping. He has compiled his studies in digital format using GIS and LMS systems designed by the University. Larry is available to continue on this project as the board makes decisions for the future. He is the expert on this aspect of the site, and his work has already proven to be a most valuable tool in describing a future for this place. You will learn more about this area in the following project descriptions.

The board of trustees has begun to discuss a plan for the land on Cranberry Lake. They know that the land will be used for educational purposes and have begun to pursue this future. They have created a mission statement to guide their efforts, but are looking outside for help in progressing. They have sought out our input, and hope to get some ideas from our design proposals to spur further development on the site. In response to that request, the Landscape Architecture 474 Studio developed site designs and educational material, which support the Frank Family Foundation Vision Statement. This development will include recognition of the special assets of the site and offer some ways to highlight their qualities for education. We have considered design as well as curricular aspects of the program here and look forward to sharing our ideas with you. As the class has come to know the Cranberry Lake and the surrounding landscape, we have begun to feel a little of the love of this site which must surely have prompted the original Owners to convey it in trust for a certain and valuable future.