The Nature Conservancy in Washington

Woodard Bay Aquatic Conservation Lease

Woodard Bay near Olympia, WA - by Natalie Fobes

In The Press: The Nature Conservancy is coordinating the distribution of Olympia oyster shells in Woodard Bay in an attempt to lure more of these native shellfish to the area.
Read The Olympian news article

A promising and new kind of marine conservation is about to begin at Woodard Bay in South Puget Sound’s Henderson Inlet. The Nature Conservancy has signed a 10-year lease with the Washington Department of Natural Resources to restore 10 acres of submerged lands—the bottom of the bay—bringing back to this quiet body of water the once-abundant Olympia oyster.

A Conservation First
The lease is a first in the country. Nowhere else have public aquatic lands been leased for the purposes of conservation and restoration, and no other state agency has established a policy allowing such leasing. The Conservancy and DNR’s efforts at Woodard Bay will be a pilot project, showcasing the use of conservation leasing as an effective tool in Washington and across the country.

The lease will enable the Conservancy to extend to the marine environment what it has done so successfully on land: conservation and restoration of our region’s magnificent natural diversity. The Conservancy’s project is generously supported by The Russell Family Foundation.

Bringing back a native oyster
The Olympia oyster, Washington’s only native oyster, is both culturally and ecologically important. Once abundant, these oysters have nearly vanished from the South Sound, a decline attributed to industrial pollution and over-harvest. Read more about this important native species.

Several leaders in marine conservation and restoration support this ground-breaking work. “Olympia oysters are a keystone species in the nearshore ecosystem with a rich history that has touched the lives of tribal members, shellfish growers, and residents for many generations,” said Betsy Peabody, executive director of the Puget Sound Restoration Fund. “Today, we have a chance to bring this oyster back—in Henderson Inlet and elsewhere in Puget Sound.”

A vital piece of the puzzle
The Conservancy’s work at Woodard Bay is part of a much larger effort by the Conservancy to restore and protect our world’s marine environment. Although once considered a limitless and inexhaustible resource, the oceans of the world are increasingly in jeopardy. The Conservancy’s Global Marine Initiative links land and sea conservation in an effort to protect the rich array of plant and animal life and safeguard the tremendous benefits the oceans provide.

Read the press release about the Woodard Bay Aquatic Conservation Lease

Read the marine conservation article in the Spring 2005 issue of Nature Conservancy Magazine