Seahurst Park, the largest shoreline park between Seattle and Tacoma, is within a highly urbanized watershed, where 60% of marine shorelines are hardened with bulkheads. The project is the largest bulkhead removal and beach restoration project on Puget Sound.

Seattle

Olympia

Victoria

Haro

Strait

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Tacoma

Strait of Juan de Fuca

WASHINGTON

Seahurst ParkBurien, Washington

Watershed Boundary Seahurst Park

Project landscape architects played a key role in a regional shoreline restoration and conservation prioritization, a scientifi c analysis focusing on 90 miles of Puget Sound shoreline. Seahurst Park emerged as a key site for potential salmon habitat conservation and restoration.

Vashon Island(Uninc. King Co.)

Maury Isla

nd

Seattle

Burien

Federal Way

Des Moines

NormandyPark

ReachMagnolia

Elliott Bay

Burien

Burien to Des Moines

Des Moines to Federal Way

East Maury

Study Area Drift Cells

Seahurst Park

East Vashon

North Vashon

West Vashon

West Quartermaster

Inner Quartermaster

East Quartermaster

Net Shore DriftAdapted from Johannessen (2005)

Vashon Island(Uninc. King Co.)

Maury Isla

nd

Dockton

Elliott Bay

DumasBay

Magnolia

Lincoln Park

Seattle

Burien

Federal Way

Des Moines

NormandyPark

Current FunctionPercentile of Shoreline Length

90% - 100% High Function

80% - 90%

60% - 80%

40% - 60%

0% - 40% Low Function

Existing Habitat Function

Seahurst Park

Ecosystem Processes

Conceptual Model of Ecological Processes and Salmon Responses

Natural Process Controls

Combine to Create and Maintain

Human-habitat Interactions: Stressors and Management

Habitat:• Biotic• Physical• Chemical

Salmon Responses:• Individuals• Populations• Evolutionary

SignificantUnits

Park amenities were in vulnerable places, armor degraded habitat and

limited beach access.

Natural landslides/sediment supply were cut off from the beach, lowering

it 3–4 feet over 30 years.

Armoring increases wave refl ectivity and erosion, leading

to more armor.

Existing Grade: Concrete Bulkhead

Proposed Grade: Restored Beach and Wetland

Section C: North Shoreline

Existing Path

Section B: Central Shoreline Section A: South Shoreline

Remove Rock and Gabions / Restore Beach

Existing Grade: Concrete Bulkhead

Proposed Grade: Restored Beach and Public Access

Existing Grade: Gabions

Proposed Grade: Restored Beach

Relocated Trail

Project landscape architects led the master planning team that analyzed, designed, and executed a multi-objective project focused on balancing ecosystem restoration, recreation, environmental education, and coastal resiliency with signifi cant stakeholder and community outreach. Master Plan - Overall Park

City of Burien Parks, Recreation & Cultural ServicesCoastalGeologicService

Consultant Team

0 400

ApproximateScalein Feet

LegendExistingParkBoundary

ParkAcquisition

TrailorConservationEasement

ParkEntry

InvasivePlantRemoval/NativePlanting

NativeConiferReforestation PlantingRoadandParking

UnpavedRoad

MajorTrail

MinorTrail

TrailBridgeHighlineSeniorCenterSiteandAdjacent PropertiesAcquisition

Pedestrian Connection

Salmon CreekRavineOpenSpace

ShorewoodNeighborhood

“Plant Community” Trail LowerParkingLot(SeeShorelinePlan)

HurstwoodNeighborhood

“Geology”Trail

“Nearshore”Trail

Picnic Shelter/LawnArea

CreekandWetlandRestoration

MainAccessRoadandParking

BrownPropertyAcquisition

“Water”Trail

Upper ParkingLotwithTurnaround

SeahurstNeighborhood

Hurstwood Neighborhood

Shorewood Neighborhood

LegendExisting Park BoundaryPark AcquisitionTrailor Conservation EasementPark EntryInvasive Plant Removal/Native PlantingNative Conifer Reforestation PlantingRoad and ParkingUnpaved RoadMajor TrailMinor TrailTrail Bridge

Brown Property Acquisition

Picnic Shelter/Lawn Area

Creek and Wetland RestorationMain Access Road and Parking

Lower Parking Lot

Puget Sound“Nearshore” Trail

Upper Parking Lot with Turnaround“Water” Trail

“Geology” Trail

Ambaum Blvd

13th

Ave SW

Senior Center Site and Adjacent Properties Acquisition

Pedestrian Connection

“Plant Community” Trail

Ravine Open Space

Seahurst Neighborhood

Master Plan – Overall Park

Existing Grade: Gabions

Trail

Restored Natural Beach

Picnic Shelter Picnic Area & Lawn

Restore Native Shrub Understory

Preserve Creek Delta

Expand Lower Parking Area

“Heart of the Park”Concentrated Park Development Area

Beach Access Steps

Restored Central Beach

Main Path & Emergency Access

ADA Forest Trail

Shoreline Environmental Education Area

Rocky Tidepool Habitat

Marine Technology Lab

Ramp to Beach

Shoreline Conservation Area Master Plan – Shoreline

Before

After

During

To restore ESA-listed salmon habitat, improve recreation access and educational uses, and improve infrastructure resilience to sea level rise, shoreline armor was removed, facilities and infrastructure were relocated, and a softer, more fl exible beach was designed.

The restoration approach reconnected the bluff-to-beach sediment supply. Softening and rebuilding the beach also decreased erosion, which is exacerbated by the increased wave refl ection and scour that results from shoreline armor.

Before Project

After Project

Landslide Material

Steep Unstable

Bluffs

Park Upland Fill & Utilities

Seawall Toe & Perched

Beach Armoring

Beach Lowering Wave Refraction Sediment Scour

Puget Sound

PowerWater

Sewer

Landslide Material

Relocate Park Facilities & Utilities

Landward

Beach Reconstruction

Puget Sound Projected Sea Level Rise

Restored Beach & Riparian Zone

Bank

Back

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Beac

h Fa

ce

Low

Tid

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RIPARIAN ZONE INTERTIDAL ZONE

LOW TIDE TERRACE

SUBTIDAL ZONE

NEARSHORE / COASTAL ZONE

Erosion

Landslides

Littoral D

rift

Mechanical Energy

Courtesy of King County. Used with permission

Natural and designed sediment accretion zones (areas that catch and hold sediment) could support upland recreation and education facilities without hard armoring. Ecological processes and site uses informed a sustainable, restorative design strategy.

The project restores habitat from the intertidal zone, through wetlands, and up into the overhanging riparian vegetation layer; this restoration with improved water quality, will benefi t a wide variety of species, including salmonids and the species they rely upon.

The project team engaged with education programs, including the Seattle Aquarium Beach Naturalist Program, Highline School District’s Marine Technology Lab, and the Environmental Science Center to ensure new park features would add lasting value to their missions.

The restored, daylighted stream near the Environmental Science Center building provides 30 cubic yards of natural beach-material delivery each year. This material, formerly a maintenance problem that was trucked off site, now adds to the long-term sustainability of the project.

Seahurst Park provides opportunities to touch nature in a culturally and economically-diverse community. The beach and fi ve daylighted streams are popular with children and families from Burien and the wider Seattle-Tacoma region.

The project removed 90% of the park’s shoreline armor, leaving in place only a small vestige to protect one of the site’s two educational buildings. The beach was restored throughout the park and in front of this remaining bulkhead.

Focused beach access points were entirely reconstructed, and an ADA-accessible trail and emergency access route to serve environmental education buildings runs the length of the project.

Seahurst Park seamlessly integrates recreation access, educational facilities, and restored habitats including beachgrass-planted backshore areas, emergent ahd shrub-planted wetlands, and multi-layered riparian zones.

A combination of planning and analysis, design, and community involvement transformed the park, from armored and unsustainable to more natural, fl exible, resilient, and ecologically sound.