A project of
Friends of Skagit Beaches
The shallow bay nestled behind Cap Sante headland was once a backwater of sand and mud, where logs were boomed and families dug clams. After years of lobbying by marine interests, the waterway was widened, basin dredged, and shoreline armored.
Washington state law considers "waters of the state"—the tidelands, shores, harbors, and beds of navigable waters—to be public resources, owned by and available to all citizens.
Sustainable design at the Marine Technology Center values the natural environment as an integral part of the local marine ecosystem and economy. The building's focus on sustainability is helping to protect Fidalgo Bay, which is threatened by environmental impacts from air and water pollution.
Planning for the new millennium, the Port of Anacortes dared to dream BIG. It envisioned a revitalized Cap Sante waterfront as a world-class boating and tourist destination built around a modern marina and waterfront park.
Rain gardens act like a native forest and absorb, filter, and slowly release naturally cleaned water into the environment. Rain gardens add beauty, filter pollution, reduce flooding, and create ecosystems.
In 1999, Skagit Land Trust acquired the area south of the railroad trestle (behind you) and, in 2006, some of the area north of the trestle. These lands were then gifted to the state for DNR to manage. The land trust holds a conservation easement on the land to ensure that it is managed primarily to preserve habitat for fish and wildlife.
March Point is the site of an important restoration project that took place in 2010. The goal of the project: restore the beach to support habitat for spawning forage fish. Forage fish‹such as surf smelt and Pacific sand lance‹are a critical food source for marine birds, salmon, and other large marine predators.
Helping nature to restore Fidalgo Bay
What happens when 100 years of factory wastes are left to wash into the bay? A flourishing ecosystem begins to die.
Imagine living in a swamp! Once, much of downtown Anacortes was a tidal wetland. And, until recently, wetlands were considered a nuisance and health hazard, so well-intentioned people filled them in.
Information on this Trail Tales website was prepared under funding from the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Public Participation Grant Program. While the information was reviewed for grant consistency and accuracy of project references, this does not necessarily constitute endorsement by the Department.
Learn more about Ecology’s Anacortes Baywide Cleanup
Photo credits: Anacortes History Museum, Washington state Dept. of Ecology, Samish Indian Nation and others, as noted. Illustrations by Linda Feltner.
This short video documentary provides an overview of the Anacortes Baywide Cleanup program. It explores the history of area mills that contributed to a legacy of shoreline contamination along the shorelines and marine waters of Fidalgo Island.
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View our film: The Custom Plywood Cleanup Site - Remediating a Toxic Legacy
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