OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced about $8.5 million in funding for projects to advance Puget Sound habitat recovery efforts.

These investments support non-profit organizations, conservation districts, academic institutions, and state, tribal, and local governments that are working to restore and protect Puget Sound. Many of the 21 funded projects will allow these organizations to add needed capacity to continue ongoing work and foster new partnerships to benefit Puget Sound’s environments, from upland forests to the nearshore.

Other projects will advance science and research efforts to better address kelp and eelgrass decline in Puget Sound, and Snohomish County will enhance monitoring and adaptively manage critical areas in the county.

Funding for the projects comes from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Puget Sound funds through the Habitat Strategic Initiative Lead (HSIL), a partnership between WDFW and DNR to preserve and restore Puget Sound habitat through strategic planning, funding, outreach and collaboration.

For more information on the specific funded projects, visit the HSIL website.

“There’s a lot of work already happening to restore Puget Sound, and these grants will allow these organizations to add needed staff, resources, and trainings to continue to benefit Puget Sound's environments,” said Jennifer Griffiths, Ph.D., WDFW policy lead for HSIL. “We heard from many applicants that just having the capacity to do this important work is a challenge, and this funding will help ensure that existing efforts can leverage the influx of new funding opportunities to accelerate restoration and protection.”

“We’re pleased to offer this funding to support some of the often-overlooked activities that are so important to recovering Puget Sound,” said Julie Ann Koehlinger, DNR policy lead for HSIL. “There is significant research, planning, partnership building, and design work involved in making any major restoration project a reality, and these funds help provide that support.”

HSIL supports multiple investments that support collaboration across watersheds and jurisdictions to offer a holistic approach to protecting and restoring habitat throughout Puget Sound. The final selected projects went through a robust review process in consultation with policy professionals and subject matter experts from the Puget Sound recovery community. Two additional funding opportunities recently closed for projects exploring the effectiveness of soft-shore alternatives to hard shoreline armoring, and planning for climate-related hazards and sea-level rise. The outcomes of these funding opportunities will be announced later in 2024.

Created in 2016, the HSIL implements the Puget Sound Action Agenda through stewarding and investing in the habitat implementation strategies for floodplains and estuaries, land development and cover, marine vegetation, and shoreline armoring. HSIL is one of three Puget Sound strategic initiatives, which also include the Stormwater and Shellfish Strategic Initiatives.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife works to preserve, protect, and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish, wildlife, and recreational and commercial opportunities.

The Washington Department of Natural Resources manages more than 5.6 million acres of state-owned forest, range, commercial, agricultural, conservation, and aquatic lands. DNR’s mission is to manage, sustain, and protect the health and productivity of Washington’s lands and waters to meet the needs of present and future generations