By mid-October the coho salmon should be swimming upstream again in Fauntleroy Creek.

The salmon have avoided taking the journey from the Sound up the creek, located south of the Fauntleroy ferry dock, because the creek's headwaters, just a few blocks up the other side of Fauntleroy Way Souhwest, flow directly and rapidly into the Sound, creating an inhospitable habitat. The coho require a few bumps in the road, er, creek, to spawn.

Thanks to the efforts of an earthy team of experts, the coho will be induced to swim up the creek through a more welcoming habitat, an obstacle course of rocks, logs, native plants, and some new twists and turns in the creek's course.

The eclectic team includes the Fauntleroy Watershed Council, Natural Systems Design engineers, and young, eager, trained EarthCorps workers from Renton, Boston, China, Colombia and Madagascar. Oh, and the blessing of two homeowners whose property has been dug, axed, chiseled and drained for two weeks. Their backyard happens to lie in the creek's path where it enters the Sound.

According to Rob Anderson, 24, EarthCorps project manager, "When salmon want to spawn, they need shade, rocks, plants, and pools of slow moving water. We're creating nice natural curves, slow spots, and other natural features. It's no longer a straight shot"

Elizabeth Butler and Chris Kim own the house where Fauntleroy Creek empties into the Sound.

"We got the house hoping to be part of this 'reach to the beach' restoration," says Butler, who seems to enjoy watching her yard transform into a coho-friendly space. Butler works with the Trust for Public Land, a conservation organization unrelated to this project.

"We had a very easy role to play in this. We said, 'Sure, if it's good for the salmon, then please.' The coho will return in about a month. We're really excited to see our property as a part of the return of the increased salmon."

Nick Silverman is with Natural Systems Design, an environmental firm that specializes in stream restoration. "I'm kind of orchestrating everything, and advising," he said modestly. "This project is unique. With the majority of our projects our client is a municipality like Kent or Bellevue. With this restoration we are working in a residential setting, and for a not-for-profit." He is referring to the Fauntelory Watershed Council.

Mike Hrachovec, or "Rocky," is chief engineer for Natural Systems Design. "We're on time, schedule, and budget," he declared with a smile. "A lot of people can be proud of this for a long time." He credits the work of the EarthCorps team.

While Song Xi of Beijing helps Renton's Kayla Dahlstorm chop and remove a wooden stump and some brush, Seta Chorbajian of Massachusetts drills holes into driftwood and places rebar to hold the logs in place. A graduate of Bard University in New York, Chorbajian says she wants to get field experience, and to "step away from the academic world for a moment."

Pedro Linares, of Bogota, Colombia, who is hauling boulders by a power tractor, enjoys the Pacific Northwest. "I like the sensitivity the people have for the environment and outdoor life here, and their political vision, too."

Lucien Herimanana, 24, came here three months ago from Madagascar, where he earned a master's degree in agricultural management. He often teams up with Pedro. This is Lucien's first trip abroad.

"I grew up in the countryside, and my parents are farmers," he said. "We see lemurs, boar and crocodiles. I think I'll like it here. It rains a lot in Madagascar."

He says his government started paying more attention to their rain forest, and it is setting aside large areas for conservation.

Judy Pickens is the project manager for the Fauntleroy Watershed Council. Through her organization's stewardship of "reach the beach," over $80,000 was raised for the project, including a $44,000 grant from the Washington Department of Ecology's Protection Fund.

"The EarthCorps workers are very competent, and do get paid," said Pickens, who is a volunteer. "The site is so sensitive, we would be taking a risk to use well-meaning, but untrained volunteers."

Steve Shay can be contacted at 783-1244.