Guest Speaker: Loren Brokaw, WDFW

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), Ducks Unlimited, and local contractor Strider Construction completed construction of the Leque Island Estuary Restoration Project in late 2019. After removing the dike surrounding the island on October 14, 2019, the first high tide entered the 250‐acre area of Leque Island for the first time in 135+ years, which marks the beginning of the land transitioning back to an intertidal marsh. Leque Island is owned and managed by WDFW, and is the area you cross as you go over the bridge to Camano Island.  

The project is designed to benefit all species that rely on estuary habitat as part of their life cycle, including salmon, shorebirds, waterfowl, and a host of other species. In addition to habitat benefits, there is a new 0.7‐mile‐long elevated walking trail and a non‐motorized boat launch to allow people to continue to enjoy the site. Pilchuck Audubon was a key participant in the stakeholder advisory group that provided input on the project design.

Loren Brokaw is the Restoration Projects Coordinator for WDFW in the North Puget Sound region, which extends from the Washington/Canada border down to just south of Seattle. Loren manages habitat restoration projects on WDFW lands that involve restoration of natural processes to benefit fish, wildlife, and their habitats including a local project at Leque Island. Much of his work involves partnering with local organizations, planning and executing stakeholder outreach plans, and securing grant funding to achieve habitat restoration objectives. Loren was born and raised in Stanwood, and his family has lived in the Stanwood‐Camano area for five generations.

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