"> The following article was commissioned by the Habitat Strategic Initiative Lead (HSIL), a cross-agency team co-led by the Washington Departments of Fish and Wildlife and Natural Resources. Where are the best places to invest in restoration and protection of beach and riparian habitats? In this post we highlight three tools, funded by the Habitat Strategic […]
March 9, 2021
"> Low-interest loans could help shoreline property owners finance improvements
As ongoing research confirms the importance of shoreline habitat throughout Puget Sound, experts are looking for new ways to help shoreline property owners pay for bulkhead removals. One emerging idea, which could be established as a formal initiative within a year, consists of a special shoreline loan program that could provide low-interest loans to residential […]
January 14, 2021
"> Repairs of bulkheads, docks and other structures now involve habitat assessment
In a major policy shift by federal authorities, waterfront maintenance and reconstruction projects are undergoing increased scrutiny — not only for their environmental impacts during and after construction but for effects that ripple through time. The change, imposed by NOAA Fisheries to protect threatened and endangered species, requires compensation for environmental damage calculated over the […]