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 regions 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, work with other 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 gives citizens a chance to get directly involved in cleaning up, restoring and protecting Commencement Bay, its surrounding waters and habitat.  Through the program, volunteers are trained to conduct the monthly monitoring of a sites health and stability, collect critical data about the site and participate in ongoing restoration activities at one of 5 beach restoration sites around Commencement Bay.  In 2009, CHB will add two additional restoration sites to its monitoring and management responsibilities and this will require additional volunteer stewards.

Habitat Stewards complete a series of training sessions.  They are given an overview of stewardship responsibilities and trained in plant identification, data collection and quarterly photo point monitoring.  After completing the training, volunteers make a minimum one-year commitment to CHB and their adopted restoration site and begin the monitoring process.

The Sites:

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

Our 5 current restorations sites are:

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

CHB’s two new restoration sites will also be in the Commencement Bay area.

Restoration Goals

In 1994, Citizens for a Healthy Bay established a goal of restoring 10% approximately 610 acres of Commencement Bays original natural marine ecosystem. So far, more than 260 acres of shoreline, riparian, intertidal and aquatic habitat have been restored or set aside for restoration.  We are continuing to work to achieve 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 enlists the help of a variety of organizations and individuals in the AAWA program.  Sponsorship of a restoration site is a great way for business, education, religious and other types of groups to get involved in improving our community’s environmental wellbeing.  Group volunteer work also provides a bonding experience for co-workers, classmates, parishioners and family members.  School and church groups, scout troops, local companies and families are encouraged to become AAWA Habitat Stewards.

Come and help CHB protect and restore habitat that is vital to the health of Commencement Bay! For more specific information or to get involved, please contact Jeanine Riss at 253-383-2429 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it