I completely believe that the natural world is more beautiful than anything we as people or artists can create. . . is really about focusing on biodiversity and the loss of the land that you need to sustain a diverse planet.   – Maya Lin

A gently-sloping, accessible ramp leads from the trail up to a bird blind elevated on concrete columns. Its handrail is topped with wood and engraved with a quotation from a Corps of Discovery journal. At the end of the ramp, a right turn over a five-foot bridge leads to the entrance. The bird blind itself is cantilevered over a slope down to the river. Lin wanted to locate the structure precisely. While on a site visit, she stood on a temporary platform, while the crew adjusted its height to get it just right.

Thin slats of black locust wood are spaced apart to form the walls of the bird blind. Looking up from the trail, the structure has an airy appearance. While partly concealed inside, people are able to make their own wildlife observations. Each vertical slat is inscribed at eye level with one of the names of the birds and animals noted by the Corps of Discovery. For each species, the text along the slat lists its common and scientific names, and its current status (extinct, endangered, recovered, or flourishing).

Black locust wood selected for the ramp and Bird Blind satisfied the artist’s criteria for sustainability, weathering well, and could be carved with text. Black locust transplanted from the eastern U.S. grows like a weed out west. Harvesting it could potentially clear areas for native plants.