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Habitat Restoration Master PlanOctober 3, 2013

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Project GoalProduce a science‐based plan that will  help the City prioritize restoration and protection actions for the City’s terrestrial, aquatic and riparian habitats.

Pileated Woodpecker - Cemetery Creek

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Restoration – improving habitat conditions above existing levels in terms of structure and function 

“Ecological Lift”

Protection – safeguarding ecosystems and ecosystem components from harm caused by human action

Post Point Lagoon

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Public Works  Planning and implementing discreet habitat 

restoration projectsPlanning and Community 

Development Inform land use decisions, development review and mitigation  decisions

Parks DepartmentPlanning and including habitat restoration 

elements into parks and open space projects

Community Information on local 

conditions and guidance on trade‐offs with  

development impacts

All Departments Transparency and 

consistency for habitat restoration,  stormwater, decisions; support for grant funding requests

Benefits of the Habitat Restoration Master Plan

City CouncilPredictable budgeting

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" We are w·orking today· so future generations will benern from .... "

Clean, Safe Drinking Wat~r Mobil tty & Co11r1ectfvity Option>

Healthy Environment

~Protect & improve the hea Ith of I akes, streams & bay

~Protect & restore ecological functions & ha bit at

•Reduce contributions to climate change

•Conserve natural & consumable resources

·~«=• 'VllUf Cl l 1\ IJltJWTll.UWl 1 Cf ULI H; I l;'Ull l llllt::1 U-tll t.t;:il ru::s::..

•Pireserve farmlimd & the al!l'fa.ilrur eool'IOR'ly

Sense of Place

•Support sense of pla;ee rn refghbort-iood~ •EncOUJ :ge development within 'stfl'tfl: lnfrastl'JJctun

• ?teYent and respOl]d ID ernerge[lties

•Pre.v~ntarw:I re~Md tocrlml! •Enwre sa Fe rmra5tr cwre • lrv;r@5eeommunrty readine$-s nd re$1lrence

• l"JO\l!Oe ilCX:~· m .~~uiraite m1ormauori •Recrult, retllln & :;upport quallty emp!C'f'ee=>

Eq uity & Social Jt.1stice

•PTaYide ar;i:;~ to problem~h1ing reso1.m;es. •Suwort S&fe, affordable houslrig •lncr~se 11 ... tng wage emplQymertt • Suflllort ·serviees for lower-irte.ome restderi't$

•"'ltrv; te respect & ppredatron for d~nity

Legacies and Strat·egic Commitments

Adopted by Bel!li ngham City CouncM July 13, 20G9

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How healthy are the City’s habitats?

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Meadow/Shrub 

Riverine (streams)

Wetland

Forest

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•Flow variation•Surface water storage•Sediment  continuity•Substrate mobility

• Percent of impervious surface

• Frequency of overbank flow

• Percent of floodplain with levees or development 

Functions  Measures 

Measuring riverine functions

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Function measurements are converted to scores

Baker Creek Sub‐watershed –Existing Riverine Function Scores

Function Score

Surface Water Storage 3

Flow Variation 3

Biodiversity Maintenance 4

Chemical Regulation 4

Thermal Regulation 4

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Scores are converted to rankings for relative comparisons

Rankings are compared at the sub-watershed scale

Excludes Lake Whatcom Watershed

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Why sub-watersheds?

Watershed scale

Too Big

Sub‐watershed scale

Just Right

Site/parcel scale

Too Small

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Different rankings for different sub-watersheds - wetland functions

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Different rankings for different sub-watersheds – riverine functions

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Different rankings for different habitat blocks – forest functions

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Different rankings for different habitat blocks – meadow/shrub functions

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What should we do to improve the health of degraded areas?

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• Documented link between the action and a significant positive response in habitat functions

• Response to action is measureable

• Effects of the action on various functions can be clearly delineated

• Commonly applied in the Puget Sound area

• Applicable at wide-ranging scales, (flexibility and scalability)

Characteristics of effective actions

Cemetery Creek

Whatcom Creek

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Potential Actions• Re-establish wetlands• Enhance riparian vegetation • Install woody debris in streams • Provide incentives to preserve meadow &

forest habitat• Acquire properties that should be protected• Educate community about habitat values• Retrofit stormwater infrastructure• {your suggestion goes here}

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What about new regulations?• Project is not intended to create new

layers of regulation

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Define list of actions that would improve functions

Determine effect of each action on 

functions 

Calculate  functional improvement for each action in each 

area

Develop initial list of priorities

Obtain public input and  develop criteria to assess feasibility

Refine priorities

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You can’t fix everything…

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Feasibility depends on:• Land use• Comprehensive plan goals• Recreational needs• Other community needs such as parks and

roads• Climate change• Cost (to restore)• Technical capabilities • Local values

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Stakeholder Engagement and Public Involvement Technical Advisory

Group Meetings with City

departments Public Open houses Targeted

presentations Project website Input on Draft Habitat

Plan

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Technical Advisory Group

• Kurt Baumgarten, Department of Ecology, Stormwater• Jim Helfield, PhD, WWU Huxley College of the Environment,

Riparian Ecologist • James Luce, City of Bellingham Parks Dept., Arborist• Kim Weil, City of Bellingham Planning Dept., Critical Areas• Leslie Bryson, City of Bellingham Parks and Recreation Dept.• Wendy Steffenson, M.Sc., RE Sources for Sustainable Communities• Barry Wenger, Citizen, shorelines• Joe Meche, President, North Cascades Audubon Society• Julie Guy, Cordata Neighborhood, Parks and Recreation Advisory

Board• Many others were also involved closely with the TAG’s work and

include Wendy Harris, citizen; Geoff Middaugh, citizen

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Advantages of a watershed-based planTime an

d Mon

ey

Low

High

HighLevel of Protection

Site‐by‐Site Approach

REACTIVE

Opportunistic Watershed‐based Approach

PROACTIVE

Strategic

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Public Works  Planning and implementing discreet habitat 

restoration projectsPlanning and Community 

Development Inform land use decisions, development review and mitigation  decisions

Parks DepartmentPlanning and including habitat restoration 

elements into parks and open space projects

Community Information on local 

conditions and guidance on trade‐offs with  

development impacts

All Departments Transparency and 

consistency for habitat restoration,  stormwater, decisions; support for grant funding requests

Benefits of the Habitat Restoration Master Plan

City CouncilPredictable budgeting

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This plan is for you…• What do you think are the key

restoration needs and opportunities?• Which actions are most needed to

protect and restore habitats?• How should we balance habitat

restoration goals with other city needs?

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More information: http://www.cob.org/services/environment/restoration/plan.aspx

Project Manager: Renee LaCroixEcology and Restoration Manager, Public Works Department(360) 778 – 7966 rlacroix@cob.org

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Consultant Team: Environmental Science Associates 

Northwest Ecological Services

Veda Environmental

NW ECOLOGICAL SERVICES