Denise Krownbell, Strategic Advisor, is part of the Environment, Land and Licensing Business Unit at Seattle City Light.
We are celebrating Earth Month by highlighting City Light’s commitment to environmental sustainability. Environmental stewardship can be defined as the responsible use of the natural environment and the sustainable implementation of conservation and sustainable practices to increase ecosystem resilience and human well being (Chapin et al., 2011). This week, we will focus on ESA Land Program.
ESA Land Program was created in 2000 after Chinook salmon, bull trout, and Chinook salmon, two threatened fish species from many parts of western Washington were listed as Endangered on the federal Endangered Species List. A species can be listed as threatened if it is not protected by humans. Seattle created an ESA Early Action plan, which includes five strategies to address this issue. VoluntaryThe following are actions that the City has committed itself to taking in order to save these fish species at-risk:
- Habitat acquisition and restoration projects in and around the City, at locations that offer the greatest benefit for salmon;
- Establishment of a single integrated water management zone and interconnected transmission system to address water supply issues in neighboring cities. This will increase tributary flows that are important for Chinook salmon.
- Regulatory and operational improvement, including increased enforcement and inspection, better regulatory education programs and a commitment for review of key operations to identify improvements in best managerial practices.
- A regional integrated research program focusing on Chinook salmon
- Public education and community involvement programs that educate the public about salmon problems and include them in the implementation of salmon recovery measures.
One voluntary step was to purchase habitat that supported Chinook salmon, and bull trout in watersheds where City Light impacts, namely Skagit and Tolt. These watersheds would be protected for these species and, if necessary, enhanced to ensure that they provide habitat for future generations. In both watersheds, more than 3,700 acres have already been purchased. They range in size between less than 1 acre and over 1,000 acres. The acquisitions provide habitat to wildlife as well. Elk herds roam on several properties, while eagles hunt on others. 20 acres of land was purchased on the Tolt River. The river flows back and forth across the floodplain creating a great spawning area for adult Chinook salmon and a nursery habitat for young fish. The Skagit River was the most recent property purchased. It includes old side channels that provide fish refuge during high flows.
These voluntary stewardship activities also include improving the habitat conditions of properties that are owned by the city in these watersheds. These actions consist primarily of removing invasive plants such as blackberry and ivy and replacing or enhancing vegetation where weeds are found. Or in areas where native conifers would be beneficial to fish habitat by planting native conifers along the river. Seattle City Light’s voluntary habitat acquisition and enhancement work demonstrates its commitment towards environmental stewardship in support of the recovery and survival endangered fish species in the Skagit River and Tolt river waterssheds.
