We had productive and fun days at our Mud Bay restoration site on Sucia Island this month, learning with island youth and furthering ecological improvements to the site. Throughout 2020, restoration efforts at Mud Bay included the removal of nearly 300 feet of coastal road, the removal of rock armor and a culvert, as well as restoration of tidal hydrology, fish passage, and marsh and beach habitats. The work continued this month as eight members of the Islands Conservation Corps (ICC) assisted Friends staff with planting dune grass, removing treated wood and plastic debris, and making water quality improvements to the marsh channels. We camped out and had a fun adventure despite the chilly April snow showers! We were also able to explore Sucia Island’s diverse plants and geology.
Students from Orcas Island’s Environmental Leadership class came out to the site as well. They got a lot out of seeing the restoration efforts first hand, hearing from Friends staff Tina and Jess about what goes into making a project like this happen, why it’s important to our ecosystem as a whole, and even getting some hands-on monitoring done by conducting forage fish surveys on the beach.
Thanks to all who came out to help make these important restoration and learning opportunities happen, including Washington State Parks, the Islands Conservation Corps as well as our boat captains with Salish Seacrets Adventures and Outer Island Expeditions! Funding provided by Orcas Island Community Foundation, the Washington State Salmon Recovery Board, and the Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program.
