Washington Coast Sustainable Salmon Foundation

WE WORK TO ENSURE THE WASHINGTON COAST REGION CONTAINS HEALTHY, DIVERSE AND SELF-SUSTAINING SALMON POPULATIONS BY PROTECTING AND RESTORING HEALTHY HABITATS AND ECOSYSTEMS AND INCREASING THE RESILIENCY OF COASTAL COMMUNITIES.

THE WASHINGTON COAST SUSTAINABLE SALMON FOUNDATION (FOUNDATION) IS THE SISTER ORGANIZATION AND FISCAL SPONSOR OF THE WASHINGTON COAST SUSTAINABLE SALMON PARTNERSHIP (PARTNERSHIP). TOGETHER, THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS WORK TO PROTECT AND RESTORE PACIFIC SALMON POPULATIONS IN THE WASHINGTON COAST REGION, WHICH COMPRISES ALL WATERSHEDS THAT DRAIN DIRECTLY INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN BETWEEN CAPE FLATTERY AND CAPE DISAPPOINTMENT (3.75 MILLION ACRES). THIS WORK IS GUIDED BY THE WASHINGTON COAST SUSTAINABLE SALMON PLAN (SALMON PLAN). THE FOUNDATION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, CONTRACTING, FUNDRAISING, AND OUTREACH NEEDED FOR THE PARTNERSHIP TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT THE SALMON PLAN. FOUNDATION STAFF SUPPORT BOTH PLAN IMPLEMENTATION AND FINANCIAL, FUNDRAISING, AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES. SALMON PLAN IMPLEMENTATION: IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SALMON PLAN INCLUDES COORDINATING WITH LOCAL WATERSHED GROUPS ON THE STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT AND PRIORITIZATION OF HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS, WHICH ARE THEN PROPOSED FOR FUNDING THROUGH ELIGIBLE FUNDING SOURCES. EACH YEAR, AN AVERAGE OF 1.7 MILLION ON-THE-GROUND HABITAT RESTORATION AND PROTECTION PROJECTS ARE IMPLEMENTED IN THE REGION THROUGH GRANTS FROM WASHINGTON STATE'S SALMON RECOVERY FUNDING BOARD. IN ADDITION, THE FOUNDATION HAS PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN SECURING AN ADDITIONAL 12 MILLION IN HABITAT PROJECT FUNDING FROM THE STATE CAPITAL BUDGET THROUGH THE WASHINGTON COAST RESTORATION AND RESILIENCY INITIATIVE. THIS EFFORT HAS INVOLVED A BROAD COALITION OF LOCAL, STATE, AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION REPRESENTATIVES WHO WORK TOGETHER TO RESTORE COAST ECOSYSTEMS AND COMMUNITIES THAT DEPEND ON THEM. THE FOUNDATION CONTINUALLY PURSUES ADDITIONAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SALMON PLAN. IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS, THIS HAS INCLUDED MORE THAN 700 THOUSAND IN GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE FUNDING SOURCES TO SUPPORT THE COLDWATER CONNECTION CAMPAIGN. THIS CAMPAIGN WILL ACCELERATE RESTORATION WORK AND OPEN UP TO 150 MILES OF COLD WATER FOR SALMON AND STEELHEAD STREAMS THAT ARE BLOCKED BY OUTDATED CULVERTS AND OTHER "MINI- DAMS" ON THE RIVERS OF THE OLYMPIA PENINSULA. COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH: A COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH STRATEGY WAS DEVELOPED IN 2016 TO ELEVATE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE SALMON PLAN. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT, AN E-NEWSLETTER, AND A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM. ACTIVITIES ALSO INCLUDED THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ORGANIZATIONAL OUTREACH FLYER, IN-PERSON PRESENTATIONS TO COMMUNITY GROUPS, GUEST FEATURES AT CONFERENCES AND NEWSLETTERS, AND FIELD TOURS FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS. THE PURPOSE OF THESE ACTIVITIES IS TO COMMUNICATE HOW THE WORK OF THE COAST SALMON PARTNERSHIP CONTRIBUTES TO THE ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCY OF THE WASHINGTON COAST REGION. IN ADDITION TO DECISION MAKERS, THE FOUNDATION SUPPORTED TARGETED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH, THE FUTURE DECISION MAKERS IN THE REGION. ESA LISTED SALMON SPECIES: THE WASHINGTON COAST REGION IS THE ONLY SALMON RECOVERY REGION WITHIN WASHINGTON STATE THAT IS NOT DOMINATED BY SALMON SPECIES LISTED AS THREATENED OR ENDANGERED UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT (ESA). HOWEVER, THE LAKE OZETTE SOCKEYE SALMON ARE LISTED AS THREATENED UNDER ESA. THE LAKE OZETTE SOCKEYE RECOVERY PLAN WAS DEVELOPED BY THE LAKE OZETTE SOCKEYE STEERING COMMITTEE (LOSSC) AND FINALIZED BY NOAA IN 2006. LOSSC DISSOLVED IN 2019 AND SINCE THAT TIME THE PARTNERSHIP, AS THE REGIONAL SALMON RECOVERY ORGANIZATION, CONTINUES TO WORK WITH NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA) AS WELL AS STATE AGENCIES AND TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LAKE OZETTE SOCKEYE RECOVERY PLAN.