The newly updated “Walks, Trails and Parks on Vashon” will be for sale at the Vashon Park District booth at the Strawberry Festival next weekend.

Ann Spiers, who co-authored the updated, fourth edition of the guide to Vashon’s parks, public trails and beach walks, said the new book is 50 percent larger than the last edition, which was published in 2007.

“A lot has changed since then,” Spiers said. 

The new edition includes information about parking and trails that have been created in the last three years, such as new trails in Island Center Forest and the Shinglemill Trail, recently created on the west side of the Island by the Vashon-Maury Island Land Trust. 

The new book makes note of the King County natural area that now exists at the former Glacier Northwest site on Maury Island. It also includes expanded information on the ecology and human and natural history associated with the parks and trails.

Susan Sullivan, who authored the first edition with John Gerstle in 2003, said that when the two of them decided to create a fourth edition of the guide, Spiers, an avid walker and naturalist, was the perfect person to join the team. 

“It seemed useful to bring in another pair of eyes, and especially informed eyes,” she said.

The guide is funded by the Vashon Park District and published by Islander Cathy Fulton, who designed the book to be sturdy and easy to carry around. 

Park district Executive Director Wendy Braicks said the book has been popular with Islanders, and she expects the new edition to sell quickly.

“It’s a very valuable tool to explore the Island on foot,” Braicks said.

All proceeds from the book will go to the park district’s reduced fee fund, which provides scholarships for children to participate in camps and programs.

The book, which costs $12, will also be available at the park district offices at Ober Park, as well as at local grocery stores, book shops, Essentials 4, Northwest Sports and online at www.vashonparkdistrict.org.