CITIZENS FOR A HEALTHY BAY

What is AAWA Habitat Stewardship?

The Adopt –A- Wildlife Area (AAWA) program was developed in 1999 as a monitoring program for the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) restoration sites, and other restoration sites around Commencement Bay. As an AAWA Steward, you will become an active participant in caring for this region’s natural resources. You will adopt your own restoration site (one of several in Commencement Bay), provide important information to environmental organizations and contractors about the health of your site, become a part of energetic compassionate volunteers and care for that site as if it were your own backyard…because it is!

The Program:

The AAWA Habitat Stewardship Program engages citizens to clean up, restore, and protect Commencement Bay, its surrounding waters and habitat. Through the program citizens are trained on monthly monitoring of a site’s health and stability, critical data collection and actively partake in ongoing restoration activities at one of 5 beach restoration sites around Commencement Bay. Between 2008 and 2009 CHB will add 2 additional restoration sites to its monitoring and management responsibilities requiring additional volunteer stewards.

Habitat Stewards will complete a series of trainings including an overview of stewardship responsibilities, plant ID, data collection and quarterly photo point monitoring. After completing the training series volunteers will make a minimum 1 year commitment to CHB and their “adopted” restoration site and begin the monitoring process.

The Sites:

The sites to be adopted are those that have been identified by the NRDA Trustees as areas that are in need of work to restore important wildlife habitat. Priority will be placed on restoring or replacing those parts of the ecosystem whose damage or absence currently limits fish and wildlife populations. Focus will also be given to the reintroduction of native plant species and the removal of non-native, invasive species. Priority will be given to the establishment of corridors between restored habitats, instead of the creation of isolated fragments of habitat.

The 5 current restorations sites are:

1. Middle Waterway (Simpson’s side)
2. Mowitch Estuary
3. Squally Beach
4. Skookum Wuldge
5. Yowkwala

**The 2 new restoration sites will also be in the Commencement Bay area.

Goals for 2008:

In 1994 Citizens for a Healthy Bay established a goal of restoring 10% – approximately 610 acres – of Commencement Bay’s original natural marine ecosystem. Between 1998 and 2004, 260 acres of shoreline, riparian, intertidal and aquatic habitat have been restored or set aside for restoration. We are continuing our goal of restoring 610 acres of critical marine habitat to its original functions and values. Without dedicated volunteers this would not be possible.

CHB will be seeking to enlist the help of various organizations as well as individuals to participate in the AAWA program. Group sponsorship of a restoration site is a way to engage community involvement in the support of environmental wellbeing while promoting a bonding experience for co-workers, classmates, parishioners, and family members. School and church groups, scout troops, businesses and families are encouraged to become AAWA Habitat Stewards and support their community by becoming involved.

Come and help CHB protect and restore habitat vital to the health of Commencement Bay! For more specific information or to get involved, please contact Jeanine Riss at 253-383-2429 or jriss@healthybay.org.