Shore Friendly Program

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Shore Friendly Program Coordinator, Ann Prusha.

Sign up for a site visit today!


Are you concerned about your shoreline property? Would you like to learn more about natural techniques to protect your property and the shoreline habitat you love? We work with technical professionals who can provide site-specific information about your shoreline property and give recommendations on how to address shoreline erosion, vegetation management, drainage concerns, king tides, sea level rise preparation, and even structure relocation to help you protect your property and Puget Sound. These site visits are completely free of cost and non-regulatory. 

 We also offer beach walks for entire shoreline communities and HOAs.

Click here to sign up for a site visit.

About the Island County Shore Friendly Program


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Island County Natural Resources secured funding through the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office and the Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program to implement landowner incentives to reduce Puget Sound shoreline armoring and enhance marine habitat in Island County. 

The aim of this program is to promote alternative strategies for shoreline residential properties that provide both the use and enjoyment of the property while promoting and maintaining the ecological properties of nearshore ecosystems for the support of fish and wildlife.

With approximately 200 miles of shoreline surrounded by marine waters, Island County has the second highest percentage of shoreline parcels in Puget Sound. The nearshore and coastal estuaries provide critical shelter, refuge, food and physiological refuge for juvenile salmon as they transition from river to ocean stages of their life. Island County shorelines also have the second greatest portion of Sound-wide forage fish spawning parcels, of which 70% are unarmored. 

The program provides several benefits for Island County marine shoreline property owners and beach communities. Please contact Ann Prusha, Shore Friendly Program Coordinator,  if you have any questions.

Shore Friendly Mini-Grant Program

Shoreline landowners around Island County want to protect their properties while also protecting the fish, wildlife, and shoreline habitats of Puget Sound. We are excited to announce that Island County shoreline landowners are invited to apply for funding through the Island County Shore Friendly Mini-Grant program to enhance nearshore habitat and prevent the need for hard shoreline armor.

Mini-grant amounts will range from $500-$5,000, and can be used towards the following project types. Get started by signing up for a site visit!

Project Types:

Projects must be in the support of either the removal of shoreline armoring or prevention of future shoreline armoring.

  • Bulkhead removal
  • Soft shore protection
  • Native vegetation installation
  • Drainage management
  • House or septic relocation

Eligible Activities:

  • Consulting services
  • Project design
  • Permitting fees
  • Project implementation

To learn more about the program and eligible activities, click here.

To discuss your project or for more information, contact Ann Prusha.

Ready to get started? Click here.

Helpful Resources

Shore Friendly Video Series

Learn more about what it means to be Shore Friendly in this video series from our partners at the Northwest Straits Foundation. 


1. How our beaches are created and maintained: In the first video of the series, coastal geologist Hugh Shipman guides us on a virtual beach walk to learn about the geology and physical processes that create and maintain our beaches. As we explore how beaches form and change over time, we’ll also learn how these processes determine who and what utilize the shoreline and make it their home.


 



2. Erosion: In the second video, we learn about the erosion process, and how our well-intentioned efforts to prevent erosion can have negative effects on both the ecology and geology of the beach.


 



3. Marine ecosystems and shoreline armoring: In the third video, we explore a bigger picture of the marine ecosystem by learning about the connections among all of the species that use the shoreline, and how bulkheads and other forms of shoreline armoring can disrupt that ecological balance.


 



4. Why vegetation matters: The fourth video provides a big picture perspective on why vegetation matters. More vegetation videos are anticipated, and will focus on native plants, managing invasives, and managing vegetation for views.


 


5. Stewards of our Shoreline: In this video, you'll hear from three landowners living on the Puget Sound. They worked with the Northwest Straits Foundation's Shore Friendly program to get help replanting their shoreline with native plants to provide a natural solution to shoreline erosion.


Island County Shore Friendly Video:

How can I protect and enjoy my shoreline property while also promoting a healthy ecosystem?

In the video below, local residents and a coastal geologist share about the environmental, recreational, and aesthetic benefits of natural and restored beaches.

 


Dive deeper with these resources!

 - In this webinar from the Northwest Straits Foundation, learn how you can protect and maintain your shoreline property and access while also protecting the fish, wildlife and habitats that we all enjoy.

 


- Are you ready to learn about the uses of native vegetation for shoreline stabilization and habitat? This webinar from Northwest Straits Foundation is an excellent place to get started!