Eagle Landing Park in Burien has been the home to many eagles over the years. Now a new eagle has taken permanent residence in the park. This eagle however is a carving and the city’s latest addition to an extensive collection of public art.

Galen Willis, a Burien resident and artist, recently donated a hand-carved wooden sculpture of an eagle he carved from Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) an evergreen coniferous tree in the Cypress family and is native to western North America. It is the Provincial tree of British Columbia, and has extensive applications for the indigenous First Nations of the Pacific Northwest.

Willis created the sculpture for the purpose of placing it in the park. The carving style of the eagle is referred to as Native American or Northwest Indian, and is partially painted red and black.

The eagle carving is itself over 44 inches tall and is mounted on a pedestal.

As part of this project another volunteer, Sean Kent, constructed a shelter to house and display the carving. It is only fitting that Sean is an Eagle Scout candidate. He is a member of Troop 392, a senior at Mt. Rainier High School and he resides in Tukwila.

His project was done as part of his work to complete his Eagle Scout requirements. Sean solicited and received numerous donations from local business owners, including eight massive peeler poles which support the structure.

Other donors included Manke Lumber, Miles Sand and Gravel, Puget Sound Steel, Sound Building Supply, Stella Jones, Tacoma Screw, and Valley Equipment and Truck. A general contractor, Mark Leggett, also generously gave his time and expertise on the project.

The sculpture was earlier approved by the Burien’s Arts Commission and Parks Advisory Board for placement in the park. The formal dedication of the sculpture took place on Oct. 24. It was attended by city representatives, as well as friends and family of those involved in the project.

Eagle Landing Park is located at 14641 25th Ave S.W. Established in 2005, it is a six-acre park containing many native plants, mammals and birds including a metal stairway which winds its way down a steep slope to Puget Sound. Eagles have nested and rested in the old-growth conifer forest of the park since 1991.