Beaches
Our island beaches make up half the shoreline in King County and are home to key forage fish spawning locations that feed salmon, marine birds, and more. Our island shorelines are central to the health of the entire international Salish Sea.
Featured Projects
Shoreline Armoring Removal: Since 2016, VNC scientists and volunteers have been monitoring more than 10 shoreline restoration projects on Vashon and Maury Islands to track their recovery after bulkheads are removed. This ongoing project welcomes volunteers every summer.
Forage Fish Surveys: Forage fish are important little creatures like sand lance and surf smelt that make up the foundation for the entire Salish Sea food web. Their spawning habitat is threatened by climate change due to rising sea levels. Our volunteers monitor several island forage fish spawning beaches to find out if and how beach restoration efforts improve climate resiliency for spawning grounds. This ongoing project welcomes volunteers each winter.
Our Fantastic Partners
We are grateful for the following partners who work with us and/or support our shoreline programs including: King County Department of Natural Resources, Puyallup Tribe Fisheries, Muckleshoot Tribe Fisheries, King County Service Area and Learning Grants, The Russell Family Foundation, The Rose Foundation, University of Washington WetLab, NOAA, Washington State Ferries, Washington Department of Natural Resources Aquatic Reserves Program, Washington State University COHORT program, and individual donors.