 Kent Island in 2009 | |
  Kent Island  Kent Island | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Bolinas, California |
| Coordinates | 37°54′44″N122°40′43″W / 37.91222°N 122.67861°W /37.91222; -122.67861[1] |
| Administration | |
| State | California |
| County | Marin County, California |
| Governing body | Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary |
Kent Island is a small island inMarin County, California. In 1964, it was proposed for large-scale development including a hotel and marina, but the plan was defeated in 1967. The island is now included in theGreater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.
The island is located within theBolinas Lagoon, a salt water inlet of the Pacific Ocean. The island is opposite the town ofBolinas, nearStinson Beach, California, and is surrounded by mud flats at low tide.[2]
On April 18, 2008, Sage Tezak, Bolinas Lagoon Restoration Coordinator of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary stated in an Advisory Council Meeting that Kent Island's shoreline had historically been dynamic in that it would move, causing the island to change shape. He noted that the appearance ofinvasive plant species on the island in recent years has stabilized the shoreline, eliminating the gradual movement of the island.[3]
In 1964,development on the island was proposed by Bahia Baulines Inc., which had leased 100 acres (40 ha) of underwatertidelands. The plan would have begun bydredging mud from the northern end of the lagoon and depositing it on the island to give it more height and to increase the overall size. The construction phase would have included a hotel and restaurant, both with parking lots, as well as an office, a boat facility andmarina for up to 1,500 watercraft, and ahelicopter pad.
The plan was terminated in 1967 whenAudubon Canyon Ranch, theNature Conservancy and the Marin Conservation League worked together to save the 110 acres (45 ha) island from the development. Funds were raised to purchase the island and give it to the county on the stipulation that the property remain undeveloped as a nature preserve. TheMarin County Board of Supervisors voted to accept the island into the public domain just hours before the Bolinas Harbor District would have acted to condemn the island in court to stop Marin County's conservation effort.[4][5]
The island became a part of Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary in 1981. In 1998, Bolinas Lagoon was declared one of 17 Wetlands of International Importance in the USA byUNESCO. There are ongoing concerns that the waters around the island are graduallysilting, affecting both human activity as well as the flora and fauna of the area.[5][6]
In 2009, the Marin County Open Space District and County of Marin were funded throughNOAA to remove invasive species and restore native vegetation to approximately 23 acres (9.3 ha) oftidal marsh and regionally rare coastal dune habitat, on and around the island. The project will restore nesting habitat for the endangeredsnowy plover.[7]
Awildlife sanctuary, the island is ahaul-out spot forharbor seals and their pups.[8]A study of seal behavior on the island showed that the animals were often disturbed by nearby human activity, with people rowing past the island in canoes a primary cause. Humans approaching the seals closer than 100 meters caused the animals to leave the sites much more often than activities by people at a greater distance.[9]
The island is also a knownroosting spot for theCalifornia brown pelican.[10] Other avian life includes thelong-billed curlew,willets,ring-billed gulls,marbled godwits,American avocets, andblack-bellied plovers.[11]
Map: Islands of theSan Francisco Bay Area | |
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