¡Feliz Dia de Amor y Amistad! Happy Love and Friendship Day! For me — and maybe for you, too —this day is about celebrating the loves in my life: love for family, friends and nature. And rather than expressing that love with any of the “typical” Valentine’s Day presents like chocolate, roses or jewelry, I say, celebrate with a memorable experience! If you want to give your loved ones a special “present” this Valentine’s Day, then what better place to take them than the newly-restored Muir Beach?
Over the past few years, the National Park Service has been working on restoring the area around Muir Beach to bring back the natural waterways which once occupied the land. Over the years, farming and development created a disturbed water system that caused flooding, poor water flow and inadequate habitat for fish.
The restoration project allows Redwood Creek to flow naturally once again, and has created freshwater wetlands and intermittent tidal lagoons. All of this brings back important habitat for coho salmon, steelhead trout and California red-legged frogs.
If you were to walk along the entire length of Redwood Creek, you would begin at Mount Tamalpais, the highest peak in Marin County. You then wind your way through the redwood forest of Muir Woods, and eventually end up at the newly-restored wetlands and lagoons at Muir Beach where the creek meets the Pacific Ocean.
I can’t think of a better place to spend the day with the people I love than playing at the beach, observing wildlife in the lagoon, or catching a glimpse of a coho salmon in its new and improved home. This restoration project benefits not only the local wildlife but also the Bay Area community, as we have a new place to create lasting memories.
Visit the newly-restored Muir Beach and let us know what your experience was like. You can see pictures of the restoration project online. Learn more about this project and watch the video below.
