Washingtonians are spoiled when it comes to spectacular shoreline views, from an Olympic Mountains sunset from Discovery Park to a foggy, beautifully moody harbor from Tacoma’s Dune Peninsula at Point Defiance Park. 

Yet, well over half of the Puget Sound shoreline is privately owned, limiting options not just for waterside viewing and recreating but resources for wildlife as well. Given such ecological and social importance, conserved shoreline property acquisition has long been a pursuit of Forterra when the opportunity arises. 

No other Forterra projects could demonstrate this better than the Maury Island and Camp Kilworth acquisitions. 

An Island Worth the Effort

A hundred million dollars, cash, in duffle bags.

This is what Forterra was told it needed to purchase the Maury Island property slated to become a gravel mine for SeaTac airport’s third runway in the 1990s.

Glib demand or not, Forterra did not have a hundred million dollars. Maybe the duffle bag. But not the cash. 

The Maury Island story and all of its twists, turns, and near failure is a nail-biting saga detailed in Forterra – Land for People. Land for Nature. Land for Good.™ And spoiler alert: the nearly 250 acres of shoreline and uplands on the island were conserved and the gravel mine plans averted.

Today, visitors can enjoy access to the trails leading down to the shoreline, with views of the distant Cascade mountains. This mile of natural shoreline is the longest stretch of undeveloped public marine shoreline in King County, and the ecological impact of conserving it is enormous.

Nearshore environments like this one provide migratory habitat for threatened and endangered species, including Chinook salmon, bull trout, and orcas. The existing adjacent gravel pit to the north of the property shows what might have been had it not been for the dogged efforts of land trusts and the island’s passionate locals.

Honoring the Outdoor Code

Directly across from Maury Island is another piece of rare undeveloped shoreline habitat: Camp Kilworth. 

For over 80 years, the property was the venue for a Boy Scouts of America camp. Despite plans for development following the camp’s closure in 2016, nearby residents and former Boy Scouts formed Kilworth Environmental Education Preserve (KEEP), a neighborhood nonprofit, to chart a new direction for the property.

In a partnership with the YMCA of Greater Seattle and KEEP, Forterra acquired the 30 acres in 2022 to conserve the site in perpetuity and meet the needs of the surrounding community. The acquisition was also a huge win for wildlife: the property contains a critical salmon rearing habitat and nearly 30 acres of second-growth forest, which is home to many native plants and animals such as bald eagles, blue herons, and Townsend’s warblers.

Today, the YMCA operates the camp, which welcomes youth to experience nature and engage in environmental education.

Both the Maury Island and Camp Kilworth properties demonstrate Forterra’s dedication to preserving shoreline for people and wildlife alike, particularly in the South Puget Sound.

Contaminants from a Tacoma lead and copper smelter operating from 1890 to 1986—now the site of Dune Peninsula—can still be found washing up on shores. Destruction of natural shoreline habitat has equally caused significant harm to salmon fry, which require shallow areas as they make their way out to sea. 

Be sure to read the full Maury Island story and more in Forterra – Land for People. Land for Nature. Land for Good.™