Through the implementation of two shoreline restoration projects on San Juan and Lopez islands, marine habitats that support forage fish, salmon and orca will improve.

The two projects were initially identified in 2006 and are part of Friends of the San Juans’ ongoing effort to work with landowners to remove unnecessary shoreline modifications.

“After three years of project identification, landowner outreach, funding requests, project engineering and design, and permitting, it is very rewarding to finally achieve on-the-ground habitat improvements at these two sites.” Friends of the San Juans science director and restoration project manager Tina Whitman said.

Last week, a salt marsh was restored on San Juan Island along Turn Point Road. A rock wall was removed and a critical wetland and potential forage fish spawning beach was restored. Eleven dump truck loads were taken from the upper beach and salt marsh habitat, clean pea gravel and sand were used on the beach. Impacted wetland plants were then replanted along the new marsh face. The restored beach now provides suitable forage fish spawning substrate and the wetland and marine environment are reconnected. The project was funded through a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grant. Jim Johannessen and Coastal Geologic Services completed the restoration assessment and design.

“Friends wishes to thank the landowners, the Ruckelshaus family, for their willingness to complete the project and provide matching funds for the implementation,” Whitman said.

Two weeks ago, 13 derelict creosote piles were removed from intertidal and shallow sub-tidal waters within Barlow Bay on Lopez Island. Barlow Bay is a priority nearshore marine habitat area with eelgrass, sand lance and surf smelt spawning beaches, and out-migrating juvenile salmon. The removal of the derelict creosote pilings is the first early action restoration project to be completed of the many identified by Friends of the San Juans, Coastal Geologic Services, and local residents.

“Barlow Bay is recovering from it’s heyday, when salmon was king and infrastructure filled the bay. With the help of the Friends of the San Juans, Barlow Bay’s water quality, forage fish spawning beaches, clam and oysters, and eelgrass prairies are benefiting from removal of derelict fishing infrastructure. As a resident of the area, I am delighted to see restoration begin,” said Lopez resident San Olson who helped restoration actions in the bay. The project was funded through a National Fish and Wildlife Service’s Community Salmon Fund grant.

“Friends wishes to thank to the multiple private residential landowners and the Tulalip Tribes for supporting the restoration actions on their tidelands,” Whitman said.

Friends of the San Juans has additional shoreline habitat restoration projects in the planning, design, and permitting phases as well as protection projects. For more information go to www.sanjuans.org or call 378-2319.