Audubon Society Leads Ecological Restoration Plan

Following is a press release from Marin County Parks and the Richardson Bay Audubon Center:

Aramburu Island, located in the northwest region of Richardson Bay on the east side of Strawberry Point, will get an extensive face-lift when the Shoreline Protection and Ecological Enhancement Project commences on August 16.

The Richardson Bay Audubon Center, in partnership with Marin County Parks, has completed extensive planning, design, and public outreach. The purpose of the project is to stabilize the island’s eastern shoreline to reduce erosion and to create a diversity of wetland and shoreline habitats for wildlife, birds, and aquatic species. Project construction began August 8 and will continue through October 15. The second phase of work will begin in the summer of 2012.

Aramburu Island was originally part of Strawberry Spit, an artificial peninsula off of Strawberry Point created by placement of fill material. The island was formed when Strawberry Spit was cut in half as part of a residential development project. To mitigate the loss of wildlife habitat, the north section of the spit was converted into an island. Subsequently, the new 36-acre Aramburu Island was designated as open space in the Marin County General Plan. Once the ecological enhancement project is complete, the island will provide much needed habitat for birds and other wildlife, thus serving its intended purpose as wildlife preserve.