Salmon-Safe: Peer-reviewed standards for the management of urban parks and natural areas Carrie Foss...

Salmon-Safe: Peer-reviewed standards for the management of urban parks and natural areas

Carrie Foss

WSU Puyallup

Salmon-Safe in the Pacific Northwest Agriculture & salmon Salmon-Safe parks

project Expanding on the

urban landscape

How land management impacts stream ecosystems Introduction of sediment, energy,

or chemicals Stream channelization that

reduces habitat complexity Loss of riparian vegetation Alteration of stream flows water

diversions or excessive ground water pumping

Salmon-Safe started in 1995 with farm focus

Goal was the development of market incentives to reward agricultural conservation practices

Early task was development of ecologically robust farm certification program

Science-based farm certification

Riparian & wetland area management

Irrigation water use Erosion & sediment control Fertility and pest

management systems Animal management Biological diversity

Drinking wine, saving salmon Regional marketing of Salmon-Safe

wine Planting of cover crops to reduce

erosion, a major cause of down-stream fish habitat degradation.

The Salmon-Safe campaign works for farmers

Marketplace response: 15-20% retail sales increase

Working to quantify economic benefits to growers

Introducing Salmon-Safe Parks Project

Salmon-Safe Parks Project

Advance restoration of Willamette River and its tributaries

Peer reviewed standards for certification of parks & natural areas

High profile public education campaign to engage urban residents

Key considerations for park system participation

Identification and provisions for protection of endangered species

BMPs implemented system-wide Policy for new park design Infrastructure restoration IPM program Field monitoring

Science-based Park Certification Standards In-stream habitat protection and restoration Riparian & wetland area protection Water use management

Stormwater management Erosion and sediment

control Chemical and nutrient

containment

Becoming Salmon-Safe Certified

Application System-wide management assessment Site visits at randomly selected locations Annual verification Recertification every five years

Park system includes 10,000+ acres, 244 sites Formal assessment in Dec 2003 with

independent certification team

Certifying Portland Parks & Recreation

The Outcome:Provisional Certification

Contingent upon meeting 10 restoration and planning conditions within 5 years

30 buses, 5 months 15 billboards, 3 months of

placement Reaching 600,000 Portland area

residents Newspaper PSAs Celebration event

Media Campaign

Urban Expansion Engaging other park systems

from Seattle to Ashland Beginning further urban expansion

beyond parks:- college campuses - corporate campuses

Nike was first

Why Salmon-Safe Certification? Third party validation Technical assistance Community and consumer recognition Endangered species protection

For more information

http://www.salmonsafe.org

dan@salmonsafe.org