Drakes Estero Restoration Project

Frequently Asked Questions about the Drakes Estero Restoration

Take a deep breath, smell the ocean, and watch hundreds of brant wheel and squawk overhead. Dip your paddle into calm salty water as bat rays and leopard sharks glide below you. Only 90 minutes after leaving San Francisco, in the heart of Point Reyes National Seashore, you can feel the stress ebbing away.

As part of the Phillip Burton Wilderness—the only West Coast marine wilderness south of Alaska—Drakes Estero is one of the most protected estuaries in California. Thousands of species of birds, mammals, fish, and other wildlife depend on estuaries, where fresh water mixes with salty ocean water.

"It is not difficult for either the casual park visitor or the seasoned scientist to recognize the ecological significance of Drakes Estero—enhanced by robust eelgrass meadows and sandbars that provide nursery areas for fish, harbor seals and other marine life, and are visited by tens of thousands of shorebirds and waterfowl."
-Sylvia Earle, Explorer in Residence at National Geographic

Why did we restore Drakes Estero?

Drakes Estero is an estuary complex made up of five branching bays. The 2500 acre complex includes 2300 acres of underwater wilderness—which is more than twice the size of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. With five miles of oyster racks and other debris removed, we can help stop the spread of invasive species and allow for the growth of critical native species.

The invasive sea squirt Didemnum vexillum, or Dvex, typically grows on hard surfaces. Removing oyster racks and other debris eliminates habitat for Dvex. Eelgrass beds are critical to fish reproduction and the health of the estuary. Eelgrass can now expand into areas once covered by debris.

We restored Drakes Estero by:

• Removing five miles of pressure-treated wooden oyster racks weighing nearly 500 tons
• Cleaning up several acres of underwater plastic, metal, and shell debris weighing nearly 1300 tons
• Removing plastic, metal, and cement debris from the sandbars, where one-fifth of California's harbor seal pups are born and raised
• Conducting long-term scientific monitoring of non-native species, eelgrass, harbor seals, and water quality

Restoration:

The National Park Service partnered with the National Park Foundation and Point Reyes National Seashore Association to continue the restoration of Drakes Estero.

• July 2017: End of harbor seal pupping closure
  The waters of Drakes Estero open to recreational use following the end of the harbor seal pupping season.
• May 2017: Onshore work complete
  All aquaculture debris removed from onshore staging area. Drakes Estero access road opens to the public.
• April 2017: Offshore work complete
  All offshore removal of aquaculture debris completed.
• March 2017: Harbor seal pupping closure
  Bottom debris work completed within a 1/4 mile of harbor seal pupping areas. Work outside of a 1/4 mile continues under former oyster racks.
• December 2016: Oyster racks removed
  All exposed wooden oyster racks removed from the estuary. Removal of bottom debris, mats, and anchors continues.
  Map of Drakes Estero with Oyster Racks and Culture Beds (204 KB PDF) [Map initially published in the Drakes Bay Oyster Company Special Use Permit Draft Environmental Impact Statement on September 23, 2011]
• August 2016: Offshore Clean-up and Restoration Begins
  The restoration of Drakes Estero—a 2,500-acre wilderness estuary within the park—began in early August. We are also working closely with the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, University of California, Davis, San Francisco State University, and others to implement a long term monitoring plan that will measure the success of the restoration.
• June–July 2015: Continued on-shore restoration
  Contractors removed remaining structures, water, power, and septic systems associated with the commercial oyster operation.
• January–June 2015: Employee relocation
  The National Park Service helped oyster company workers find new jobs and residences through a relocation contractor, Legal Aid of Marin, and West Marin Community Services. Former employees lived at Drakes Estero at no cost for up to six months after commercial oyster operations ceased.
• February 2015: Oyster rack removal test
  We pulled out a few oyster racks to find the best methods and equipment for protecting sensitive resources. This test helped us design the underwater restoration, with the least impact to the estero ecosystem.
• January 2015: On-shore restoration begins
  Contractors removed nine commercial buildings, utilities, debris, and over 6,000 square feet of asphalt and concrete.

• January 2015: Oyster harvest closure and shellfish removal
  After consulting with the U.S. Public Health Service and the California Department of Public Health, we closed the estuary to the harvest of Pacific oysters and Manila clams.
  
  NPS contractors removed roughly 37,000 pounds of shellfish and debris. Seashore staff removed another 97 oyster bags.
  
  Inventory of Shellfish and Aquaculture Equipment in Drakes Estero on January 1–7, 2015. (2,756 KB PDF)
• October 2014: Settlement agreement reached
  Under a settlement agreement between the National Park Service and Drakes Bay Oyster Company, oyster farming at Drakes Estero closed on December 31, 2014. This opened a new future for the estuary and new opportunities for the public to enjoy this extraordinary place.

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Help Us Keep Drakes Estero Clean

In collaboration with All One Ocean, we installed Beach Clean-Up Stations throughout the seashore. You can pick up a reusable bag at Drakes Estero and gather trash while you explore.

When you return, empty the trash in the garbage containers at the parking lot. Then return the reusable bag to the Beach Clean-Up Station. Thanks for helping to keep Drakes Estero clean!

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