Park staff and contractors routinely drive heavy trucks across meadows in Beacon Hill Park. This compacts the soil and damages native plants. Though damage is worse in wet weather, compaction of the soil from heavy vehicles occurs in all seasons.

To protect heritage landscapes, the Park Department must set firm guidelines and train employees to value and preserve natural areas. Outside contractors must be directly supervised in the Park so they do not damage vulnerable ecosystems.

A heavy gravel truck drove across the meadow from Arbutus Way up the hill to reach the northwest ridge trail on October 17, 2003.

Rain had deluged the area for the previous two days, softening the soil. The truck wheels dug foot deep ruts in the camas meadow, destroying plants and compacting soil. During the following months, rain flowed down the ruts, increasing the damage.

Park staff claimed the damage would “repair itself.” A photo seven months later reveals it did not “repair itself.” Native plants grow on both sides of the damaged area; nothing grows in the old truck tracks.

 

A huge semi-trailer chip truck drove from Heywood Avenue across the meadow to the central playground in October, 2003.

A photo taken seven months later shows permanent ugly scars cutting through an otherwise beautiful camas meadow area. That damage did not “repair itself” either.