Island County Shore Stewards
Program Contact: Heather Vitiaz
360-639-4608 • heather.vitiaz@wsu.edu
Welcome to WSU Island County Shore Stewards, the birthplace of Washington Shore Stewards.
Since 2003, nearly 1,000 waterfront residents, farmers, parks, port districts, cities, and businesses on Whidbey and Camano islands have joined Shore Stewards to learn better ways of managing their land to preserve critical habitat for fish, wildlife, and birds.
Island County differs in important ways from other Puget Sound counties.
- Our two main islands are small in area but dense in population, with nearly 200 miles of shoreline.
- We also have very few cities which means most Island County residences rely on private septic systems for sewage treatment, unlike the more urbanized areas of other counties.
For this reason, the 10 Guidelines for Shoreline Living in Island County are tailored somewhat differently to reflect the rural character of our county and its demographics.
If you have shoreline property on Camano or Whidbey islands, or live in a community with shared access to the beach, and would like to learn how to preserve it for future generations, please sign up to become a Shore Steward.
Shore Stewards was introduced in 2003 as a project of Island County Marine Resources Committee (MRC), in partnership with dedicated volunteers of Washington State University (WSU) Beach Watchers of Camano Island. Beach Watcher volunteers developed the 10 original guidelines, wrote the acclaimed handbook, Guide for Shoreline Living (pdf), set up the enrollment form and conceived the original Shore Stewards website.
To learn more about the Shore Stewards Program here: WSU Extension Shore Stewards
Want to Become a Shore Steward?
This program is free, with no volunteer component, and open to all. Click on the logo to the left. Fill out the application and send it back to the Shore Stewards Coordinator for Island County at:
WSU Extension
Shore Stewards Coordinator, Island County
141 East Camano Drive Camano Island, WA 98282
Fall 2025 Newsletter – Our most recent newsletter introduces one of the impacts of climate change – SEA LEVEL RISE along with resources for those exploring soft-shore solutions to replace their bulkhead, plus community marine educators provide like Island County Marine Resources Committee (MRC) and the Island County Shore Friendly Program. that can help! Click here to access the Fall 2025 Newsletter.
Upcoming Events
WSU Shore Stewards at Sound Waters University, February 7th
Join us for this year’s Sound Waters University on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at Coupeville High School.
This year’s theme is Tracing Life through the Salish Sea and explores the intricate web of relationships that connect species, habitats, and communities throughout this unique marine ecosystem. This community education event is open to all.