Land managers convene for shoreline resiliency

||| FROM ELISE COPE for FRIENDS OF THE SAN JUANS |||

With more miles of marine shoreline than any other county in the lower 48, San Juan County’s land managers are well-positioned to lead in effective shoreline management that benefits both people and nature. To support this, Friends of the San Juans brought 20 public land managers together on the water to see firsthand how restoration can reconnect wetlands, restore spawning habitat, and safeguard communities.

The tour was hosted by Friends staff, engineering geologist Jim Johannessen of Natural Systems Design and Coastal Geologic Services, along with shoreline property owners Tom Reynolds and John Vechey, who had each completed restoration projects on their land. From the water, the group toured completed and pending habitat projects, gaining insights and learning about resources available through Friends’ shoreline technical assistance program.

Friends of the San Juans staff aboard the tour, left to right: Tina Whitman, Senior Science Director; Magali Cota, Legal Director and Staff Attorney; Katherine Dietzman, Shoreline and Mapping Specialist; Eva Schulte, Executive Director; and Isabel Alexander, Operations Manager.

Across the islands, miles of shoreline are changing under the pressures of development and rising seas—and these local leaders are working together to restore balance and build resilience. The tour provided public land managers an opportunity to network and explore strategies for protecting and restoring shoreline ecosystems while enhancing community resiliency. Participants included representatives from the Tulalip Tribes Department of Natural Resources, Washington Department of Ecology and Fish and Wildlife, alongside local land managers from OPALCO, the Town of Friday Harbor, the Port of Orcas, and San Juan County’s Public Works, Environmental Stewardship, Conservation Land Bank, and Community Development Departments.

Chip Long, Port of Orcas Manager, expressed his appreciation of Friends: “Thanks for all you and the team did to put such an interesting and educational morning together. I’ve already had a couple of opportunities to share what I learned!”  

Friends offers complimentary site visits to all shoreline property owners to support them as protectors of shoreline and marine ecosystems. Each visit includes a free consultation with a habitat expert and coastal geologist, plus potential early design and feasibility assessments for sites with restoration opportunities. For more information, visit sanjuans.org/shore-friendly.  

Special thanks to Friends’ members, Canoe Island French Camp, for providing their boat; Natural Systems Design and Coastal Geologic Services for their expertise; and restoration property owners. This project was supported by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement through the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency or the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.