Intricacies of the PNW Food Chain

Emerald Alliance Update

September 2021

Next month, the region will again draw attention to the plight of the Puget Sound’s iconic orca population on October 16th’s Orca Recovery Day. The content of this newsletter tells the complex story of the many challenges and the multitude of efforts it will take to sustain salmon and orca in the waters of the Puget Sound. While the challenges are mounting, there is much to feel optimistic about, and no shortage of opportunities to take action to help ensure the survivability of Orca for generations to come.

- The EA Team

Partner Spotlight

There is no better time to feature Better Ground, a collaboration of twelve Conservation Districts across the Puget Sound that works to improve water quality and salmon habitat. Learn more about about their upcoming Orca Recovery Day and how your actions can impact orcas in our blog post linked below.

Featured Events

Orca Recovery Day - October 16th, 2021
See Better Ground's event page for up-to-date information on Orca Recovery Day events in your area. Here are a few we'd like to highlight:
— Snohomish County: SCD Nature Walk in Mountlake Terrace
— King County: Green River Coalition Planting at Riverview Park
— Pierce County: PCD Work Party at Clark’s Creek
— Kitsap County: KCD Carpenter Creek Estuary Restoration

Other Upcoming Events:

— October 3rd from 9:30-noon: Green Seattle Partnership EarthGAY volunteer event at Colman Park
— October 2nd - Stewardship Partners virtual at-home Feast on the Farm fundraiser

From Our Blog

In April 2021, King County Executive Dow Constantine revealed a strategic initiative that, over the course of the next 30 years, will provide an intersectional approach to water protection, addressing everything from forest management to stormwater runoff to floodplain restoration to shoreline resiliency.

News

The compilation of articles below tell a story about the past, present, and future of salmon & orca recovery.

From left to right, we start with the history of land management and its negative impacts on salmon. Then, we move into federal government policy attempting to address the issue. Next, we look at how local government has shaped salmon recovery initiatives. Lastly, we learn how individuals can get personally involved to make room for salmon habitat.

— Science Friday: How The Puget Sound Region Is Reckoning With Disappearing Salmon

— King 5: NOAA renews program to bring Southern Resident orca population back from decline

— Seattle Times: King County’s culvert hunters — and a $9 billion plan to save salmon habitat

— Crosscut: What would you need to give up to save salmon in WA?

Inspiration

Peek into Better Ground's work on Orca Recovery Day in this video, which highlights the importance of orca recovery and stewardship for the Puget Sound's cultural identity and environmental future.

Thank you for your continued interest in our work! Send us your ideas and stories for future newsletters: Tracy Stanton at Tracy@EmeraldAllianceNW.org

We are building a collaborative, multicultural coalition to ensure that all voices are included and recognized. If you have a stake in the future of the Puget Sound's open spaces, consider becoming a partner:

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