Floodplain development is contributing to the demise of Puget Sound orcas. Photo: Minette Layne/WikiMedia Commons

The Costs of Flooding

Since 1990, Puget Sound has been ravaged by 15 major flood disasters—that’s more than one every other year. As outlined in our new report, Changing Course: Why Protecting Floodplains is Good for People and Wildlife, thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed and at least 58 people have died due to flooding. These floods cost taxpayers more than $1.37 billion in clean up and recovery costs.

Humans are not the only ones affected by floodplain development. Since 1900, Puget Sound Chinook salmon populations have declined 93% and nine runs of Chinook have gone extinct. Orca whales, which eat primarily salmon, have declined by half. Both are now under federal protection through the Endangered Species Act, but habitat and populations continue to decline.

Developing in Floodplains

Tolt River Road near Carnation, WA inundated by floodwaters. Photo: King County.

By filling floodplains and leveeing rivers, we’ve diminished the ability of the land to absorb large storms. More than 90% of our floodplains and wetlands have been lost to development, agriculture and other human activities. Of the floodplains that remain, more than 70% are in poor condition. The result is an increase in devastating flood damage, degradation of Puget Sound, and steep declines in fish and wildlife populations.

Solutions for Our Floodplains

As scientists consider how to address salmon declines and larger storms, they are coming to the conclusion that protecting and restoring floodplains is one of the most important things we can do to help salmon and orca while reducing risk for people.

The first step is to prevent more harmful development in flood-prone areas. In other words, we must stop making the problem worse. The second step is to fix our past mistakes by repairing already damaged floodplains. We can do this by buying out frequently flooded properties, setting back or removing levees to widen the river and floodplain, and restoring floodplains to recreate critical ecological functions.

So, is putting Puget Sound’s next million people in floodplains a good idea? So far, building in floodplains has been bad for people, bad for taxpayers, and bad for fish and wildlife. The question should not be, where are we going to put the next million people. The question should be, where are we going to put them, safely?

Finding a safe home for Puget Sound’s next million people will mean building smarter. Restoring and protecting our floodplains will mean that Puget Sound’s next generation will not just be safer from floods; they will also still be able to see salmon and orca leaping from our waters.

For more information, be sure to read our report: Changing Course: Why Protecting Floodplains is Good for People and Wildlife, and watch our video here.

Photo: Christopher Michel

Rich is heavily involved in the fight to stop five fast-moving coal export terminals in the Northwest, the largest of which is proposed to be built near Bellingham–just across the bay from his hometown of Anacortes.

About the projects, Rich says: “I don’t want to see the Northwest turned into ‘coal country’. The carbon from coal needs to stay in the ground. All the coal trains, ships, etc. will change the character of the Northwest.”

Protect Washington’s orcas from toxic coal–send a message to the Army Corps today.

We caught up with Rich to learn more about what compelled him to write his letter, and the many other ways he creates positive change for wildlife:

Photo: National Wildlife Federation

After seeing what development had done to other places, he starting becoming more involved in local groups like Friends of the Forest to protect the woods that he had spent so much time exploring as a child. With his help, Friends of the Forest and their partners were able to place conservation easements that will permanently protect nearly 1,800 acres of forest lands in Anacortes.

But that was just the beginning. Rich became a member of Evergreen Islands, a local citizen group that has, among other things, prevented a nuclear power plant proposal on a nearby island; the Anacortes Conservation Voters, which helps elect environmentally-friendly decision makers; and Transition Fidalgo & Friends, a group that is working to foster local resilience in response to climate change.

When asked what motivates him, he doesn’t skip a beat, saying: “My two grandchildren: four year old Marisol and two year old Azuul. I want them to experience a healthy natural world…I want to make a small difference. It’s much better than feeling discouraged, hopeless, and powerless by global warming or urban sprawl.”

Rich’s dedication to preserving habitat is evident in his work as a gardener and volunteer at three city parks to enhance their wildlife values by planting native plants. He helped start the Fidalgo Backyard Wildlife Habitat, because “it was a low-key, non-threatening, non adversarial way to foster habitat restoration one yard and project at a time”. In less than three years, Fidalgo Island earned the National Wildlife Federation certification of a Community Wildlife Habitat, and Rich was named “Community Volunteer of the Year” by NWF in 2009 for his enthusiastic and tireless team leadership.

As Rich explains, “What is good for wildlife is good for all of us.  We are all in this together.”

Letters to the Editor, Anacortes American

Words from a whale By Richard Bergner

This is the first time I’ve written to the editor. I’m an orca, a member of J pod here in the waters of the San Juans. You shouldn’t be surprised that orcas can write. After all, you land folks have determined that corporations are people and money is speech. Let me tell you in a nutshell (or seashell) a very scary tale that is not a fairy tale.

Some very wealthy coal, railroad and financial corporations are proposing to dig up coal in vast areas of Wyoming; dump the clumps into open rail cars; haul it all the way to this part of the Northwest in 1.5-mile-long, 125-unit trains; dump all that black grit onto giant coal piles at Cherry Point; and then load it into mammoth, three-football-field-long cargo ships bound for China, India and Korea to feed their industries to outcompete us.

I’m amazed at what you people will do to maintain your fossil fuel habit. I hear some people asking, “Why should I be concerned about coal trains rumbling through Mount Vernon and Burlington and a pile of coal at Cherry point?” Let me tell you.

The coal trains will impact my orca family in the San Juans. We eat salmon, salmon eat herring, and herring need eel grass. Cherry Point herring struggle to survive when eel grass is not healthy. If the whole marine system isn’t healthy, what will I eat? What do you think adding more coal dust, diesel particles and piers are going to do to the eel grass and herring runs of Cherry Point — a marine preserve, by the way? And how will ballast water, noise pollution, sonar, bilge water and ship exhaust emissions impact all us marine creatures in the San Juans? Our fins will flop, a sign of sickness.

I read (yes, I can read, too) that “if a ship is traveling at a speed of only 15 knots, there is a 79 percent chance of a collision being lethal to a whale.” I don’t like those odds. Bulk cargo ships, such as coal vessels, discharge a huge amount of ballast water, which typically contains a variety of biological materials, including plants, animals, viruses and bacteria. Noise pollution can cause me and my buddies to be disorientated, hinder communication and make it harder to find our food.

On a ship, oil often leaks from engine and machinery spaces and mixes with water in the bilge. Oil in even small concentrations can sicken or kill fish. The Evergreen State will become the Eversheen State. I don’t want to eat sick fish.

Do you think that I’m going to stick around here when I can’t eat, hear my buddies or swim in peaceful and clean waters? So when me and my orca friends leave for cleaner, quieter and safer waters (I hope we find some), will the tourist pamphlets and phone-book covers show pictures of giant cargo ships instead of members of my family jumping out of the water? Will the tourists come (if they can get here) to see 1.5-mile-long trains rumbling through the valley, or piles of coal, or giant cargo ships?

Coal terminal. Yes, our planet may be terminal all right if all that coal is burned, releasing all the carbon into the air.

So don’t think, Fidalgo Islanders, that this coal train and coal terminal doesn’t impact you. It will impact me, and that will impact you. We are all in this together, aren’t we?

The 120-day scoping process for the EIS (environmental impact statement) for the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal and Custer Spur projects has started. Letters from whales aren’t accepted, so I’m counting on you to help.

Here’s how:

• Mail to: GPT/Custer Spur EIS c/o CH2M HILL, 1100 112th Ave. NE, Suite 400, Bellevue, WA 98004

• Email to: comments@eisgatewaypacificwa.gov

• Visit: www.eisgatewaypacificwa.gov

• Attend a scoping meeting Saturday, Nov. 3, in Friday Harbor, or Monday, Nov. 5 in Mount Vernon.

If you help me keep the Northwest from becoming the Eversheen State, I will tell my orca pals to join me in popping out of the water when you come to watch us.

photo by Nic Callero

• Port St. Helens, Oregon - Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, in partnership with Pacific Transloading, plan a facility to export up to 30 million tons of coal.
• Port of Morrow, Oregon - Ambre Energy plans an expansion, a transfer station to off-load coal from rail cars and take them down the Columbia River to St. Helens, to handle 8 million tons of coal a year.
• Coos Bay, Oregon - Port of Coos Bay officials have disclosed they are in “discussions” with coal companies, a plan known as “Project Mainstay.”
• Longview, Washington - The Millennium Bulk Logistics Longview Terminal on the Columbia River Estuary could balloon into a “mega-terminal,” the largest West Coast export facility in the nation, to ship up to 60 million tons of coal a year.
• Cherry Point, Washington - The Gateway Pacific Terminal, proposed by Peabody Energy and SSA Marine, could ship up to 48 million tons of coal per year. Peabody Energy is the country’s largest coal company.
• Gray’s Harbor, Washington - An expansion of the Port of Grays Harbor near the Gray’s Harbor National Wildlife Refuge could threaten one of the largest staging areas for migrating birds in the lower 48.

photo by Nic Callero

The new report makes a strong case that these port proposals will have a negative impact on fish and wildlife and that the Army Corps of Engineers should conduct a programmatic EIS on all projects to gather hard science on potential fish impacts.

Some of these concerns include:

• In the lone biological assessment prepared for any of these proposals to date, numerous ill effects were cataloged for the Morrow Pacific project in Boardman. For example, “The proposed construction at the Port of Morrow will involve piling installation using vibratory and impact hammers, which produce sound levels above the thresholds for fish disturbance and injury.
  

  (Photo: Paulv2c/flickr.com)

• The report cites studies from British Columbia in watersheds supporting similar salmon species indicate that coal dust can have negative impacts on fish. A study of juvenile Chinook in British Columbia found that exposure to the hydrocarbons found in coal dust increased the expression of certain genes that play “crucial roles in cellular metabolism,” one of which can convert cancer causing substances found in coal dust hydrocarbons into active carcinogens.
• In the marine sediments adjacent to the Westshore Terminals coal facility on Roberts Bank, British Columbia, the concentration of coal residues doubled between 1977 and 1999- the concern is that sediments with high levels of coal will become devoid of the oxygen that bottom dwelling plants and animals need to breathe.

The report, “The True Cost of Coal” represents some of the very first vocal concerns from the sportsmen community regarding the proposed coal export terminals.

The Association of NW Steelheaders is one of Oregon and Washington’s most well respected sportsmen voices with a mission dedicated to enhancing and protecting fisheries and their habitats for today and into the future.

Urge the Army Corps of Engineers to thoroughly review the risks to Northwest fish and wildlife from proposed coal export terminals.

GiveBIG May 2nd - The Seattle Foundation

Mark Your Calendar

On May 2nd you have the opportunity to maximize your donation to the National Wildlife Federation by donating through the Seattle Foundation’s GiveBIG program. GiveBIG is a one day opportunity to donate to Seattle area nonprofits including the National Wildlife Federation. When you donate through GiveBig we receive a pro-rated portion of the matching funds, making your donation go further. All you have to do is make a donation online anytime on the second of May to the National Wildlife Federation!

When you make your donation you are automatically entered into a drawing to win an additional $1,000 to the National Wildlife Federation.

Opportunity is Knocking

By donating you have the opportunity to help us continue some of your favorite programs and campaigns. We work hard to protect our wildlife and wild places for today and future generations in offices around the country, including right here in Seattle! Here at the Pacific Regional Center we work on some of the most pressing issues in Washington, Oregon, California, Hawaii and Alaska.

Staff at the Pacific Regional Center - Photo: National Wildlife Federation Pacific Regional Center

Protecting Floodplain Habitat in Puget Sound

Floodplains are critical habitat for many of the endangered salmon runs in the Pacific Northwest and are swiftly disappearing under rapidly expanding development. This development threatens the endangered salmon and the orcas that feed on them and puts people in harm’s way. We are working to find ways to help protect and restore these floodplains for the health of the salmon and orcas and the safety of local communities.

Creating Climate-Resilient Communities

Water is one of the most important natural resources on the planet. Here in Washington State our increasing population and Climate Change are putting more and more stress on this already stressed resource which is critical for wildlife and people. We are working with a broad coalition to find balanced solutions to water demands in Eastern Washington to find solutions to this pressing issue.

Be Out There

Today’s children are spending less and less time in the out of doors and more time plugged in inside. Our Be Out There campaign uses education, conservation and advocacy to help unplug kids and get them back outside. Programs include the Great American Backyard Campout, Ranger Rick, Eco-Schools, Gardening for Wildlife, National Wildlife Week and more!

At first the rains come as a light drizzle, tapping out a soothing melody on rooftops and windowpanes. Soon the tempo quickens to a loud drum beat of impending danger. As the rain falls harder and harder the river begins to swell, slowly creeping up its banks. Even the levees that have been constructed to shelter communities from floods are not immune to the growing threat and soon water begins to spill into the land around the river. At one point this land was left free for flooding but then people began to develop along the river. Levees were built and vegetation removed which destroyed the natural processes of the river. With out the natural protection offered from the floodplain the water begins to swirl into the basements and living rooms of the houses. Furniture, family heirlooms, floors and walls are submerged by the flood waters as the residents have to evacuate in a hurry.

This is a scene that is played out over and over again throughout the years and across watersheds. Many homes were insured through FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) which provides subsidized flood insurance for those living in floodplains. The insurance makes it possible for people to rebuild in the same location after a flood. These rebuilt homes only continue to put their owners in danger from floods and negatively impact salmon. As of 2011 Washington state has had 833 repeatedly flooded homes(those that have been flooded three times or more) and cost tax payers $71 million in insurance claims.

A Possible Way Out

When people are flooded out of their homes it takes an emotional and financial toll on the families, many of which were unaware of the extent of danger that living in these areas presents. The FEMA buy out program is a long and complex process that offers the possibility of moving people out of floodplains and restoring the floodplain, helping people and wildlife. This video shows firsthand accounts of flood victims’ experiences with flooding and using the buyout program.

Bad for People and Wildlife

Developing in floodplains puts people in danger and destroys critical habitat for endangered salmon runs in the Puget Sound region. It is for this reason that the National Wildlife Federation is involved in a lawsuit against FEMA. Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) no federal agency can take actions that harm an ESA listed species. By promoting development in floodplains FEMA is violating the ESA and threatening endangered salmon runs and the orcas which rely on salmon for their primary food source.

Moving Forward

Instead of continuing to bail people out of flooded properties FEMA should make it easier for people to move out of the floodplain and to higher, safer ground. This is of particular importance in the face of Climate Change which will cause an increase in extreme events such as flooding. Properties that they do ensure should be safe for people and wildlife.

A Natural Legacy

In the Pacific Northwest, we are blessed with the kinds of surroundings that most people just read about in the glossy pages of magazines. Accordingly, we want to build homes and businesses as close to that natural beauty as we can get – often, in floodplains. Unfortunately, in doing so, we destroy the natural systems that sustain this essential ecosystem.

Floodplains are Critical Salmon Habitat

Salmon have forever been our pride in the Puget Sound Region. It’s for good reason, they are a keystone species that keeps this ecosystem living and breathing. Unfortunately, their unique fresh and saltwater lifestyle makes them very susceptible to the alterations that we have made to the vulnerable riparian areas on which they depend.

Comparison of fish at the same age, reared in the main river channel (left) and reared in the floodplain (right). Source: Jeffres et al., 2008

Development adds impervious surfaces which carry storm water runoff full of pollutants straight into nearby rivers. All of these factors have resulted in the dramatic decline of Puget Sound salmon populations.

These impacts also have a negative impact on other marine life. According to one study, orcas, who feed on the fish and contain 400-550 times higher concentration of toxic PCBs than humans, are leaving the Sound for cleaner waters up north, where food is more abundant.

The State of Washington’s Floodplains

The National Marine Fisheries Services cited these sobering facts in a recent evaluation of floodplain habitat impacts on Puget Sound salmon populations:

1. 71 percent of the State’s floodplains are in poor condition.
2. More than 90 percent of the wetlands and floodplains once associated with lowland alluvial rivers of the Puget Sound basin have been lost.
3. Ditching, diking, and dredging activities in floodplains, primarily found in urban and agricultural regions, were associated with a 73 percent loss of coho salmon rearing habitat in the Skagit River system.

The Impact of the National Flood Insurance Program on Salmon

Since the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) began, it has served to make building in floodplains more affordable; with the assurance that those properties will be repaired if they flood. Our decisions about where to build homes and businesses typically come down to economics, not concern over fish. We don’t intend to harm salmon. We just want to be close to nature, and don’t want our homes to flood. But instead of factoring in the risk and costs of flooding, and the value of nature (and the fish), the NFIP alters our decisions based on false assurances, not accurate economics.

Flooding takes a significant toll on impacted areas - photo by WSDOT

Support NWF’s efforts to defend Puget Sound floodplains, and learn more about similar efforts around the United States.

Puget Sound with the Olympic Mountains in the background, credit: Bryn Fluharty

1. Puget Sound
Puget Sound is the watery gem of Washington State and is filled with wildlife, amazing scenery and fun recreational opportunities. Visitors and locals alike love getting out onto the water to whale watch, kayak, scuba dive or just enjoy watching the sun set over the San Juan Islands!

2. Mt Rainier National Park
Mt Rainier National Forest offers the opportunity to explore old growth forests and high alpine wilderness. From the hot springs at Ohanapecosh to the flower-covered fields of Paradise and the glaciers of Rainier this iconic area is filled with opportunities for the whole family to enjoy.

Mt Rainier at sunrise, credit: Bryn Fluharty

4. North Cascades National Park
The North Cascades National Park is a hidden gem offering amazing mountain views, stunning valleys and sparkling waterfalls. This wild area is one of the most diverse ecosystems on earth with some of our most elusive species, such as gray wolves, fish and wolverine.

Hiking in the North Cascades, credit: Bryn Fluharty

6. The Columbia River
The Columbia River inspires awe in all who visit it. Beginning in British Columbia it winds its way through Washington State, coming down to mark the border between Washington and Oregon before emptying into the Pacific Ocean.

7. Wines of the Pacific Northwest
What better way to say I love you than with a bottle of PNW wine! Unique climate and soil means that the Northwest is now producing world class wines from areas like the Yakima Valley in Washington and the Willamette Valley in Oregon.

8. Mt. Hood National Forest
Just outside of Portland rises Mt. Hood. With 1,067,043 acres of forest area, locals and visitors can enjoy fishing, camping, boating and hiking and climbing during the summer. The fall brings hunting season. In the winter snow sports enthusiasts are able to enjoy skiing and other snow sports on the slopes of the mountain.

Mt. Hood, credit: Bryn Fluharty

10. The Pacific Crest Trail
The trail stretches from northern Canada down to Mexico, running through Washington and Oregon and gives hikers an amazing and unique view of the Pacific Coast’s treasures.

11. The Pacific Flyway
It is a bird lovers’ dream, with thousands of birds each year migrating through between Patagonia to Alaska.Maintaining flyways like this is crucial for the survival of wildlife!

Looking out at the Cascades from the summit of Mt Rainier, credit: Bryn Fluharty

13. Cannon Beach
It is hard not to stand in awe of the giant pillars of rock that rise out of the Pacific Ocean at Cannon Beach in Oregon. Romance runs over the rocky shores while looking out over a sunset on the Pacific. If dinner on the beach is not for you there are many other opportunities to go out and explore the coast! Columbia River Gorge offer amazing recreational opportunities.

14. The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
Located in Oregon and California, this National Forest covers both the Cascade and the Siskiyou Mountains, featuring wild rivers, great fishing and amazing biodiversity.

The Columbia River on the OR-WA border, credit: Bryn Fluharty

We here in the Pacific Northwest love our land! Want to share your love?  Connect with us on Facebook to share your photos or stories, or comment below!

Gray wolf on the banks of the Gardner River in Yellowstone (photo by Beth Pratt)

But as a new report details, House Republican leadership has abandoned that tradition this year. They’ve taken an incredible 191 votes to weaken environmental protections:

The House of Representatives averaged more than one anti-environmental vote for every day the House was in session in 2011. More than one in five of the legislative roll call votes taken in 2011 – 22% – were votes to undermine environmental protections. [...]

The anti-environment votes cut across a broad array of issues and included 27 votes to block action to address climate change, 77 votes to undermine Clean Air Act protections, 28 votes to undermine Clean Water Act protections, and 47 votes to weaken protection of public land and coastal waters.  The Environmental Protection Agency was the target of 114 of these votes; the Department of the Interior was the target of 35 of these votes; and the Department of Energy was the target of 31 of these votes.

The report (PDF) from Rep. Henry A. Waxman, Rep. Edward J. Markey, and Rep. Howard L. Berman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee comes as House Republicans are working to benefit their Big Oil donors by attaching even more anti-environment riders to must-pass economic & budget bills.

Of those 191 anti-environment votes, 47 were “to weaken protection of public lands and coastal waters, including votes to curtail environmental review of offshore drilling; to halt reviews of public lands for possible wilderness designations; and to remove protections for salmon, wolves, and other species.”

Bear catching salmon in California (Flickr's Rose Robinson)

• “In H.R. 1, House Republicans included language to block implementation of two biological opinions intended to ensure the recovery of threatened and endangered salmon, steelhead, green sturgeon, and other species in the San Francisco Bay-Delta ecosystem.”
• “The [House GOP has] proposed cutting funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which acquires new lands for recreation and wildlife protection, by 78% in 2012.”
• “[H.R. 1] cut in half funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a multi-agency effort to clean up pollution and combat invasive species in the Great Lakes. Funding for similar restoration programs for the Puget Sound and the Chesapeake Bay were reduced by a combined 40%.”
• “The final FY2011 funding bill that passed on April 14, 2011 directing the Secretary to delist the gray wolf [from Endangered Species Act protections] in Montana, Idaho, eastern Washington, eastern Oregon, and north-central Utah.”
• “In May 2011, House Republicans voted unanimously to pass H.R. 1229, the “Putting the Gulf of Mexico Back to Work Act.” … Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) commented that the bill ‘seems to ignore every one of the recommendations that the [National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill] made about how to conduct deepwater drilling in a safe manner.’“

Ask your members of Congress to prioritize our wildlife & public health over polluter giveaways.

I grew up in a military family as passionate about recycling and nature as it was about patriotism and public service. I guess it’s no surprise these twin passions drive my favorite Veterans Day activities: thanking the veterans in my life and taking some time to Get Outside. This November, I’d like to share some of the opportunities available in Washington State.

Thanks for reading and feel free to share your Veterans Day and Great Outdoors stories on Twitter or our Facebook site!

1. Spend time with a veteran in our National Parks - free!

Admittance is free to five of our National Parks and Historic Sites over Veterans Day weekend, November 11-13. Which one will you choose?  The thick green and ancient feel of Olympic National Park? The mountain meadows and iconic trails of Mt. Rainier National Park? The wind-swept beaches and coastal rainforests of Lewis and Clark National Historic Park? Or perhaps you’ll tour the Fort Vancouver or Whitman Mission Historical Sites?

Cannon Beach, Oregon - Looking south from Chapman Point Image: flickr/OSU Special Collections & Archives

2. Remember Washington veterans at the Seattle Veterans Museum

4. Attend Veterans Day Ceremonies throughout Washington State

Events are scheduled the week of November 5-12 all over the state including:

Jimmy Carter lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during Veterans Day ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, 11/11/1978 Image: U.S. National Archives

• Evergreen Washelli’s 62nd Annual Veterans Day Memorial Celebration will take place near the Doughboy Statue at the base of the Veterans Memorial Cemetary, beginning at 7 AM on the 11th.
• At the State Capitol Grounds, the 20th Annual Veterans Ceremony will take place on Friday November 10 from Noon to 1 PM, beginning at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial located at the State Capitol grounds east campus plaza near the Capitol Skybridge.
• Tacoma War Memorial Park’s Veterans Day Service will begin at 11 AM on the 11th at 6th Avenue and MacArthur Street near the Narrows Bridge.

For further information on these and other events events, see the list prepared by Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs or CBS Seattle.

5. Explore Arctic habitat at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium – Retired & Active Duty admitted free!

Retired and Active Duty military members receive free admission to Tacoma’s Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium on Veterans Day. November 11 also happens to be Artic Animal Play Day – learn about muskox, polar bears, walruses, and other Arctic animals. Be sure to visit the polar bear exhibit to see what it takes to survive in the cold Arctic environment. It’s harsh up there, and the rapid melting of sea ice polar bears depend upon doesn’t make it any easier.

For more information, connect with us on Facebook or check out our website!

Polar bears are long-time veterans of the Arctic. Learn how they're trying to adapt to their changing environment at the Point Defiance Zoo or nwf.org. Image: Christy Mazrimas-Ott

6. Tour the Museum of Flight with a veteran – Retired & Active Duty admitted free!

Join the Bottom Line Duo – a fabulous bass and cello duo – as well as the City of Tukwila Mayor and Councilmembers, distinguished veterans, and the Civil Air Patrol Overlake Squadron color guard for a Veterans Day ceremony from 11 AM to 2 PM. All U.S. Veterans and Active Duty military members receive free admission to the Museum of Flight on Veterans Day. Afterward, enjoy the miracle of flight by flying a kite in one of the area’s many parks and green spaces or simply enjoying unstructured time outside with a Green Hour or hours!

Photo credit: William Drumm

Entering Mount Rainier National Park I am automatically drawn to the White River; its braided, meandering channels flowing down from Emmons Glacier, sweeping through old growth forest, and Mount Rainier towering above, is a sight of true beauty. As I sat and admired the river, I couldn’t help but ponder its pristine state and the natural habitat it must provide for spawning salmon. This is what a healthy river looks like, I thought to myself, there must be salmon here. In truth, the answer is not as straightforward as I thought.

First the good news: In a recent report, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) concluded that over a 10-year period the White River showed a trend of increasing abundance among Puget Sound Chinook salmon populations. Furthermore, White River salmon populations have some of the highest escapement trends observed; meaning a high portion of salmon escape the commercial and recreational fisheries and reach the White River freshwater spawning grounds. Great, right?

Now the bad news: though abundance trends are increasing, the average historical abundance of Upper White River Chinook was 6,700, today they are estimated at only 500. The White River is a tributary of the Puyallup River, which is heavily diked, leveed, and dammed. White River salmon need to swim up (or as in most cases, be caught and then trucked up) the Puyallup before they start their journey to spawn upstream in the White River. So, how are Puyallup River salmon doing? The answer: Not so good. Moreover, Puget Sound salmon are not doing well either. The overall trend shows that Puget Sound Chinook populations are no better than they were 10 years ago when they were first listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The driving force behind this lack of improvement: habitat loss. In Puget Sound natural habitat is being developed and altered more often than it is restored. Not only can fish not access upper river reaches because of dams and other barriers, but if they get there they find a river no longer in its natural state due to levees and dikes.

Recently, Federal Judge James Redden rejected (for the third time) the federal government’s recovery plan for the Columbia-Snake River salmon, stating it as “arbitrary and capricious” because it failed to identify adequate habitat improvement.  A similar plan in Puget Sound is being implemented to limit floodplain development and reform the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP’s) minimum criteria for eligibility in 122 communities by September 2011. But is all this going to be enough?

Probably not. Though these plans all take into account future development, they do very little to fix past mistakes. In “Is Salmon Extinction the Option” Tom Bancroft comments, “we need the federal government to recognize that their plans for salmon recovery in the Pacific Northwest are lacking.” As Billy Frank puts it, “If we are going to recover salmon, we must have stronger and better-coordinated federal leadership to align the policies and actions of all federal agencies and departments that impact salmon.”

What can you do? We all need to work to protect the future of our iconic salmon species. Limiting the impact of development is critical in any highly-urbanized watershed.  Incorporate green development ideas into your next home improvement project and if possible leave previously undeveloped areas undisturbed.

Take action: speak up for endangered salmon by telling your local representative or urging the Obama administration that healthy native habitats and endangered salmon recovery is important to you.

Learn more about NWF campaigns for Puget Sound NFIP reform and salmon restoration and Columbia-Snake River salmon.

Inspiration for post comes from ”Is Salmon Extinction the Option” by Tom Bancroft of People for Puget Sound.