The Land Bank is collaborating with Friends of the San Juans (FOSJ) to advance shoreline restoration efforts on Orcas and Lopez Islands. Led by FOSJ Science Director, Tina Whitman, projects at Eastsound Waterfront Park (Orcas) and Upright Head Preserve (Lopez) will enhance shoreline conditions to support forage fish spawning habitat and combat erosion. Whitman secured grant funding from Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB) and US Fish and Wildlife to remove an old concrete cistern and associated debris from Eastsound Waterfront Park’s shoreline and establish native vegetation for improved resiliency to increasing shoreline erosion. Pending permitting and bid solicitation, work could begin this summer.
At Upright Head Preserve, a design concept has been completed, with the preferred restoration alternative to remove most of the shoreline armoring, regrade and revegetate the slope, and setback utilities at the 
top of the slope. Friends of the San Juans are submitting a grant application to receive funding from SRFB and WA State Department of Transportation to implement the project in 2026.
Photos courtesy of Friends of the San Juans