Muir Beach and Climate Change

Muir Beach and Natural Resource staff reintroducing Coho salmon back into the natural population

Kirke Wrench

Muir Beach offers an example of the effect climate change may have on an endangered species, the coho salmon. Redwood Creek flows through Muir Woods and then into the ocean at Muir Beach. It is one of the southernmost streams in which coho salmon breed.

Climate change is stressing this already endangered fish by altering both its freshwater breeding habitat and the ocean where adults live. The National Park Service and Parks Conservancy have enhanced coho salmon habitat along Redwood Creek, and have raised salmon stock from the creek in a fish hatchery and reintroduced the breeding adults in the hopes of increasing the local population.