Redwood Creek at Muir Beach
Beginning Date: 2009
Completion Date: Ongoing
Located at the mouth of the Redwood Creek Watershed at Muir Beach, this 46-acre project site was the most disturbed area of the Redwood Creek Watershed. More than a century of landscape modifications for agriculture, recreation, and construction had filled the creek bed with sediment, altering fish habitat in the tidal lagoon.
This landscape-level restoration project is designed to bring back natural function to the creek, freshwater wetlands, intermittent tidal lagoon, and dunes.
This multi-phase project aims to improve habitat for endangered coho salmon and threatened steelhead trout, maintain habitat for threatened California red-legged frogs, decrease flooding on nearby roads, and create a self-sustaining ecosystem that requires minimal future intervention.
Close to 20,000 native wetland and upland plants—grown at the nearby Redwood Creek Nursery—are planted by school, community, and corporate groups each year. These native plant communities will help prevent further erosion and create important habitat for native wildlife.
Project Highlights:
- Connecting the recently excavated new creek channel with the old creek bed.
- Decommissioning the Levee Road to restore the natural function between the creek and floodplain.
- Installation of a new 235-foot pedestrian bridge in 2011, leading visitors from the parking lot to the beach and Coastal Trail.
- Permanent parking lot reconfiguration.
- Construction of a new Pacific Way Bridge and adjacent, multi-use, and accessible trail.
- Installation of new bathroom and other visitor amenities near the existing parking lot.
- Control of two acres of noxious, non-native Harding grass, uphill of the Middle Green Gulch Trail.
The restoration of Redwood Creek and the surrounding watershed is made possible by generous donations and grants, as well as the efforts of nearly 1,000 volunteers each year. Visit our volunteer page to learn how you can help with the ongoing stewardship of the Redwood Creek Watershed.
Key Contributors
California Department of Fish and Game, California State Coastal Conservancy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Parks Conservancy members
The Conservancy's Public Agency Partners
