Northwest Fund for the Environment

PROGRAM AREA DESCRIPTIONS

Aquatic Ecosystem Protection Program

The goal of the Aquatic Ecosystem program of the Northwest Fund for the Environment is to protect and restore the extensive network of fresh and saltwater ecosystems in the State of Washington and the native species that inhabit these ecosystems. Our program is divided into three  areas of emphasis:

Freshwater ecosystems including rivers, streams, wetlands, and riparian areas. We are concerned with water quality and water quantity issues as they affect aquatic ecosystems.

Saltwater ecosystems of Puget Sound and the Washington Coast, including estuaries and saltwater shoreline areas.

Salmon are an integral part of many ecosystems, and are affected by a wide spectrum of environmental issues. As an indicator species and an icon of the region, salmon receive special emphasis from the Northwest Fund for the Environment.

• Improve implementation of water quality standards throughout Washington State, including the protection of waterways from both point and non-point sources or the weakening of existing environmental regulations.
• Establish and protect adequate in-stream flow levels statewide to provide healthy habitat for native species.

• Reduce threats to marine resources from external harms such as oil spills and invasive species.
• Protect marine habitat and aquatic species from pollution, over-harvesting or the weakening of existing environmental laws and regulations.

Salmon

• Protect and restore populations of native salmon throughout the state.                
• Protect the habitat upon which they depend.

• Monitor implementation of existing laws (such as review of NPDES permitting, follow-through of salmon recovery, and volunteer monitoring of pollutants in waterways.)
• Promote public policies that enhance waterways such as better enforcement, incentives or standard setting.
• Litigate to implement and defend key laws e.g., Clean Water Act (CWA), Shoreline Management Act, OPA-90, and the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as they apply to these areas.
• Inform and engage the public in the stewardship and protection of aquatic ecosystems and resources.

Growth Management Program

The goal of the Growth Management Program is to prevent damage to environmentally sensitive areas, limit rural growth and support the use of smart growth policies within urban growth areas by promoting the efficient, sustainable, and environmentally beneficial use of Washington State’s land and natural resources.

The NWFE seeks to fund work advancing these objectives:

• Enforce and adopt growth management laws and regulations, particularly critical area ordinances that result in long-term, statewide net benefits for the natural resources of Washington State.
• Protect important ecosystems, including the habitats of threatened or endangered native species within Washington State, that are threatened by development.
• Promote productive community partnerships among diverse groups and interests to address growth management needs within a region or the state.
• Increase the effectiveness of citizen advocates and nonprofit organizations to identify growth management priorities, ensure compliance, create and promote good comprehensive plans, and implement and maintain effective and sustainable solutions.

• Use litigation, mediation and other legal tools to enforce and monitor compliance with existing growth management laws.
• Organize communities to create and support public policies that are consistent with smart growth.
• Use the best available science to achieve growth management objectives.

   

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