Natural beaches support forage fish, salmon, and Southern Resident Orcas
Waterfront landowners have a big part to play in the protection and restoration of habitats that support birds, fish, and even marine mammals. Many habitat enhancement opportunities exist to restore beach habitat, reconnect coastal wetlands, and remove debris. Free site visits with experts are available. Please contact Friends’ Science Director, Tina Whitman tina(at)sanjuans.org or 360-378-2319, if you or your neighborhood want to explore potential restoration actions for your shoreline.
Shoreline Habitat Restoration Projects:
Scroll through to see the short description and images of each site, then click on the learn more button to get details about a specific project.
Barlow Bay Eelgrass & Forage Fish Spawn Habitat Restoration (Lopez)Eelgrass and forage fish habitat restored by removing a derelict dock, including 1,200 square feet of overwater structure, 26 creosote pilings, pier decking, and 26 cubic yards of rock and fill (2013).
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Eelgrass and forage fish habitat restored by removing a derelict dock, including 1,200 square feet of overwater structure, 26 creosote pilings, pier decking, and 26 cubic yards of rock and fill (2013).
Beach and Bluff Restoration (Brown Island)250 waterfront feet of bluff and beach restored by removing an unnecessary rock bulkhead (2015).
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250 waterfront feet of bluff and beach restored by removing an unnecessary rock bulkhead (2015).
Blind Bay Forage Fish Spawn Habitat Restoration (Shaw)600 waterfront feet of forage fish spawning habitat enhanced by intertidal rock and debris removal and beach nourishment (2017). 340 additional adjacent feet were enhanced in 2019.
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600 waterfront feet of forage fish spawning habitat enhanced by intertidal rock and debris removal and beach nourishment (2017). 340 additional adjacent feet were enhanced in 2019.
Broken Point Beach Habitat Restoration (Shaw)Project will remove a creosote wood bulkhead and associated rock and fill that extends well over the intertidal beach to restore beach and backstore habitat and water quality (2022).
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Project will remove a creosote wood bulkhead and associated rock and fill that extends well over the intertidal beach to restore beach and backstore habitat and water quality (2022).
Fisherman Bay Marsh and Beach Restoration (Lopez)400 waterfront feet of salt marsh and tidal channel habitat restored through removal of outdated rock and wood ditches, dikes, and berms (2017).
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400 waterfront feet of salt marsh and tidal channel habitat restored through removal of outdated rock and wood ditches, dikes, and berms (2017).
Forage Fish Spawn Habitat Restoration (Lopez)100 waterfront feet of forage fish beach spawning habitat restored by removing creosote and concrete (2008).
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100 waterfront feet of forage fish beach spawning habitat restored by removing creosote and concrete (2008).
Mud Bay Wetland and Beach Restoration (Sucia)Salt marsh reconnected and forage fish spawning beach restored by removing nearly 300 linear feet of a low lying road and associated armoring, fill and culvert (2020).
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Salt marsh reconnected and forage fish spawning beach restored by removing nearly 300 linear feet of a low lying road and associated armoring, fill and culvert (2020).
Neck Point Wetland Restoration (Shaw)Two-acre wetland reconnected to marine waters through channel restoration and removal of fill (2008).
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Two-acre wetland reconnected to marine waters through channel restoration and removal of fill (2008).
Salmon Point Forage Fish Spawn Habitat Restoration (Lopez)Critical habitat along a 430 foot long pocket beach is improved through shoreline plantings (2020) and removal of degraded rock armoring and concrete/rock debris (September 2021).
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Critical habitat along a 430 foot long pocket beach is improved through shoreline plantings (2020) and removal of degraded rock armoring and concrete/rock debris (September 2021).
Shoal Bay Tide Channel & Lagoon Restoration (Lopez)Five-acre coastal lagoon habitat, water quality and fish passage improved by removing concrete tide gate and fill from the tide channel (2009).
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Five-acre coastal lagoon habitat, water quality and fish passage improved by removing concrete tide gate and fill from the tide channel (2009).
Smuggler’s Cove Road Forage Fish Spawning Habitat Enhancement (Shaw)300 linear feet of shoreline, at a known surf smelt spawning beach, was improved by reducing the footprint of the road protection, removing unnatural large rock from the intertidal beach, and nourishing with sand and fine gravel (2009).
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300 linear feet of shoreline, at a known surf smelt spawning beach, was improved by reducing the footprint of the road protection, removing unnatural large rock from the intertidal beach, and nourishing with sand and fine gravel (2009).
Thatcher Bay Nearshore Restoration (Blakely)200 waterfront feet of subtidal and intertidal habitat restored at a known forage fish spawning beach by removing an outdated log handling facility and rebuilding an existing barge landing into a smaller footprint (2013).
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200 waterfront feet of subtidal and intertidal habitat restored at a known forage fish spawning beach by removing an outdated log handling facility and rebuilding an existing barge landing into a smaller footprint (2013).
Turn Point Marsh and Beach Restoration (San Juan)200 waterfront feet of beach and salt marsh habitat restored by removing an unnecessary rock bulkhead (2009).
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200 waterfront feet of beach and salt marsh habitat restored by removing an unnecessary rock bulkhead (2009).
West Sound Beach Restoration (Orcas)150 waterfront feet of pocket beach habitat restored by removing a large rock and creosote bulkhead (2015).
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150 waterfront feet of pocket beach habitat restored by removing a large rock and creosote bulkhead (2015).
