Bird on log with lake in the background.
WSU Extension > WSU Extension > Natural Resources > Island County Shore Stewards

Island County Shore Stewards

Program Contact: Heather Vitiaz
360-639-4608 • heather.vitiaz@wsu.edu

Image showing two men holding a Shore Steward sign standing among driftwood in front of a house.

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.

Shore Stewards sign.

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

Shore Stewards logo.

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

Guide for Shoreline Living Cover.

Donate to the WSU Island County Shore Stewards Fund

Newsletters

Spring 2026 Newsletter – Our most recent newsletter reminds us of the resources for spring planting and landscape planning that are within the Guide for Shoreline Living and also includes resources for those looking to source native plants, plus upcoming events with partners like Island County Marine Resources Committee (MRC) and the Island County Shore Friendly Program that can help! Click here to access the Spring 2026 Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Beach litter cleanup Volunteer displaying some of the items that have collected from the beach.

WSU Island County Beach Clean-Ups

Tuesdays, 1:00 – 3:00 PM

  • March 24 – Grasser’s Lagoon (Penn Cove area)
  • March 31 – Dugualla Bay

More information contact: WSU CLCP Coordinator, Jana McGehee,  jana.mcgehee@wsu.edu, or call the WSU Extension Island County office at 360-639-6060.

Lighthouse License plates
Example of a Washington Light House license plate with text about how it supports environmental programs.

Proceeds from the sales of license plates fund restoration projects, community education efforts and volunteer training, all under the umbrella of Lighthouse Environmental Programs. You can help in this effort by buying a Lighthouse Plate for your vehicle. Thank you! Click here for more information on the Washington Lighthouse license Plate.