Several renovations at Muir Woods and a large restoration at Muir Beach were recently completed in order to help a variety of animals, mainly Coho salmon, and improve visitor experience.

The last phase of the Redwood Creek at Muir Beach restoration was recently completed after five years of work. The project was spread out in four phases in order to avoid interrupting the salmon’s spawning season. Redwood Creek begins at Muir Beach and feeds into Muir Woods as part of the Marin watershed.

“We do it in the summer when the fish aren’t laying their eggs. So the beach was closed all summer, which was very disappointing for people, but that’s the best time for the fish,” Lucy Scott, a Muir Woods’ park ranger, said.

Renovations at Muir Woods must be completed quickly during certain times in the year to prevent disruption to the mating and nesting of animals. The renovations mainly include trail maintenance, such as replacing steps or bridges. A large portion of the overall renovation was completed on Feb. 2 on one of the trail boardwalks.

Redwood Creek was restored mainly for the Coho salmon, an endangered species whose numbers have been low in the past 20 years due to drought, loss of habitat, and overfishing. The purpose of the restoration was to improve the salmon’s transition into the creek by enlarging the floodplain and making the environment more salmon-friendly.

According to Bridget Peregrino, another Muir Woods’ park ranger, the goal of the Muir Beach restoration was to improve the quality of the creek. It required moving the orientation of the once rutted-out parking lot to avoid substances from cars being dumped into the water.

“The main purpose of the Muir Beach restoration was to increase possible habitat for the salmon, but because of all the work that has happened for the salmon, it has been beneficial for the people,” Scott said.

The Redwood Creek restoration project involved approximately 100 workers from different agencies.

“Time will tell if the Muir Beach restoration was worth it. If the fish come up then we know we’ve done a good job,” Scott said.

However, due to the recent drought, there is a question as to whether the fish will come up this year.

Many renovations have been done in Muir Woods to make the trails into boardwalks. According to Scott, boardwalks are better for the environment because they are elevated and give way for the soil and plants to grow. If the paths were asphalt or concrete, it would kill the forest floor, but the boardwalks are raised so the forest floor is protected.