Marin Islands National Wildlife Refuge is a little known gem located off the shore of San Rafael’s Loch Lomond Marina. Established in 1992, Marin Islands National Wildlife Refuge is comprised of 10 acre East Marin, 2 acre West Marin island, and 326 acres of tidelands surrounding them. A portion of the tidelands (246 acres) are owned by the State of California Lands Commission and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The smaller West Marin Island boasts a rookery where snowy and great egrets and great blue and black crowned herons nest. Most recently (2020) a pair of black oystercatchers with their bright red bills began nesting on the island, one of only two bay area nesting locations.
Marin Islands have an interesting history. Once under consideration to become a waypoint for the Richmond to San Rafael Bridge, the islands were owned by the Crowley family, prominent in the Bay Area’s maritime industry. Once the islands became national wildlife refuge the goal was to improve the island’s habitat by removing the structures and replacing non-native vegetation with native species. The Friends have participated in this long process by pulling weeds on many occasions with multiple partners. Photos from three of these outings are below.
Marin Islands National Wildlife Refuge is a little known gem located off the shore of San Rafael’s Loch Lomond Marina. Established in 1992, Marin Islands National Wildlife Refuge is comprised of 10 acre East Marin, 2 acre West Marin island, and 326 acres of tidelands surrounding them. A portion of the tidelands (246 acres) are owned by the State of California Lands Commission and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The smaller West Marin Island boasts a rookery where snowy and great egrets and great blue and black crowned herons nest. Most recently (2020) a pair of black oystercatchers with their bright red bills began nesting on the island, one of only two bay area nesting locations.
Marin Islands have an interesting history. Once under consideration to become a waypoint for the Richmond to San Rafael Bridge, the islands were owned by the Crowley family, prominent in the Bay Area’s maritime industry. Once the islands became national wildlife refuge the goal was to improve the island’s habitat by removing the structures and replacing non-native vegetation with native species. The Friends have participated in this long process by pulling weeds on many occasions with multiple partners. Photos from three of these outings are below.
October 9, 2010 Friends’ Marin Islands weed removal team and directed by Refuge Biologist Giselle.
Friends and volunteers boated to East Marin Island in August 2008 to restore migratory bird habitat by removing invasive nonnative plants. Nearby, West Marin Island holds the largest heron and egret rookery in the San Francisco Bay area.
Friends and Refuge staff worked along side an Army Reserve Unit from Mare Island who barged away piles of non-native vegetation from East Marin Island as part of the restoration efforts.
