MUKILTEO — For years, Japanese Gulch was the city’s favorite unofficial park. People visited the wooded area to enjoy wildlife, trails and views, even though most of the land was privately owned.

That changed last year with the final, and largest, acquisition by the city of 98 acres, the capstone to a 144-acre park.

The city is formally planning the future of Japanese Gulch. As part of that effort, a volunteer event is planned for Saturday to help restore an area that had been heavily used by bicycle motocross (BMX) enthusiasts. The event is organized by the non-profit Seattle group EarthCorps.

“Some energetic people went in there and constructed some pretty significant hills and gullies,” said Bill Brosseau, a field director for EarthCorps in Seattle. “Clearly the area was impacted. No one could argue that.”

Grading occurred without permits, Brosseau said. That meant there was a use occurring in Japanese Gulch that is no longer permitted.

The nonprofit worked on an assessment of the property as part of the city’s master planning process.

Saturday’s plans call for restoring native plants and trees to the area, including salmonberry and thimbleberry, which grow quickly, and conifer trees such as hemlock and cedar, Brosseau said.

The group hopes to have 30 volunteers turn out for the event. Gloves, tools and water will be provided.

A similar event is scheduled March 21 by the city’s Youth Advisory Committee, said Mayor Jennifer Gregerson. High school students plans to clear invasive plants and clean up trails, she said.

“That kind of energy is what we want to continue in the Gulch — people who value it and are part of taking care of it, being good stewards,” Gregerson said.

The City Council is to be updated on park planning March 30. An open house is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. May 30 at City Hall, where a draft of a preferred plan for park development will be presented.

“I’m interested to see what the consultant has come up with, based on some open house meetings with a lot of attendance and interest in helping craft a vision of the Gulch,” Gregerson said.

The park’s master plan is expected to be completed in the fall. “That will help get us ready for recreation grant cycles that will begin next year” to pay for park improvements, Gregerson said.

One idea that’s been suggested is the development of an environmental center “so that people could appreciate the environmental value of the Gulch,” perhaps in conjunction with a senior center, Gregerson said.

Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com.

Japanese Gulch restoration

An event to restore a former bicycle motocross site in Japanese Gulch is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Volunteers should meet at the Japanese Gulch Park entrance at 4405 76th St. in Mukilteo. Registration and more information is available at www.earthcorps.org/volunteer.php.