The Pacific Northwest region is growing rapidly, and our economy is booming. That growth, however, is also diminishing available agricultural land, straining natural resources, threatening salmon habitat and enabling risky development for the sake of expediency. Natural habitat, including high-risk and critical areas, is being lost to development without weighing the true costs to the ecosystem, society and climate change resilience.

We need innovative, watershed-scale land-use patterns and programs that protect vital natural habitats and restore degraded lands. These include financial strategies that take into account the monetary benefits of ecosystem services and the reduced risk that comes from protecting areas prone to natural disasters. By harnessing the restorative ability of natural systems, our land use patterns can help promote clean and resilient water outcomes for Puget Sound.

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