Presentation Abstract
In the last five years, 324,000 people have moved to the central Puget Sound region. While helping to fuel economic growth in the area, this rapid growth also threatens the natural wealth that the region is known for. Legacy stormwater issues and hardening watersheds in the region are harming our aquatic systems and Puget Sound. The Puget Sound Regional Council, whose member jurisdictions include the four counties and 82 cities in central Puget Sound, is developing a regional open space conservation plan with the goal of accelerating conservation of the open spaces that support watershed processes and a high quality of life for the region’s residents. These open spaces include forests, farmlands, wildlife habitat and corridors, floodplains, wetlands, and other lands that support healthy watersheds. An advisory committee consisting of representatives from counties, cities, tribes, resource agencies, and conservation groups is providing guidance for this effort. The plan maps the regional open space network by weaving together planning efforts from local jurisdictions, watershed planning groups, resource agencies, tribes, and other groups. The plan identifies a suite of strategies for protecting and preserving the open space network. This work will be integrated with the region’s comprehensive plan, VISION 2050, that will guide growth and development in the region. This presentation will include the major findings from developing this plan, including the new database of open space information generated, the main challenges and barriers to conservation in the region, and the strategies identified for accelerating watershed protection.
Session Title
Lessons from Management Approaches
Keywords
Watershed, Open space, Regional planning
Conference Track
SSE4: Ecosystem Management, Policy, and Protection
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2018 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE4-272
Start Date
6-4-2018 9:15 AM
End Date
6-4-2018 9:30 AM
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Watershed management--Washington (State)--Puget Sound Watershed; Regional planning--Washington (State)--Puget Sound Watershed; Open spaces--Law and legislation--Washington (State)--Puget Sound Watershed; Watersheds--Recreational use--Washington (State)--Puget Sound Watershed
Geographic Coverage
Puget Sound Watershed (Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Included in
Fresh Water Studies Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons
Accelerating watershed protection in the central Puget Sound region
In the last five years, 324,000 people have moved to the central Puget Sound region. While helping to fuel economic growth in the area, this rapid growth also threatens the natural wealth that the region is known for. Legacy stormwater issues and hardening watersheds in the region are harming our aquatic systems and Puget Sound. The Puget Sound Regional Council, whose member jurisdictions include the four counties and 82 cities in central Puget Sound, is developing a regional open space conservation plan with the goal of accelerating conservation of the open spaces that support watershed processes and a high quality of life for the region’s residents. These open spaces include forests, farmlands, wildlife habitat and corridors, floodplains, wetlands, and other lands that support healthy watersheds. An advisory committee consisting of representatives from counties, cities, tribes, resource agencies, and conservation groups is providing guidance for this effort. The plan maps the regional open space network by weaving together planning efforts from local jurisdictions, watershed planning groups, resource agencies, tribes, and other groups. The plan identifies a suite of strategies for protecting and preserving the open space network. This work will be integrated with the region’s comprehensive plan, VISION 2050, that will guide growth and development in the region. This presentation will include the major findings from developing this plan, including the new database of open space information generated, the main challenges and barriers to conservation in the region, and the strategies identified for accelerating watershed protection.
