PORT ANGELES — The city of Port Angeles has been awarded more than $100,000 to support salmon recovery.
The city announced Wednesday the state Department of Commerce had given it a $109,000 grant to support the integration of salmon recovery into city planning efforts.
The city will use the grant to develop an Urban Forestry Program focused on management of trees within Port Angeles’ stream corridors, according to a news release. The program, when completed, will allow the city to implement best practices that support a healthy and growing tree canopy, improve stormwater management, restore salmon habitat and enhance overall ecosystem health.
The grant to Port Angeles was among 12 the Department of Commerce awarded worth $3 million in total, according to a news release.
“We can’t just hope for salmon recovery, we have to build it into our plans for our future,” Commerce interim director Sarah Clifthorne said. “This funding helps local leaders do the hard, essential work of ensuring that when we build a new road or plan a neighborhood, we’re doing it with the health of our watersheds in mind.”
The city’s natural resources and grant administrator, Courtney Bornsworth, said a strong urban forestry program will consider salmon restoration practices such as noxious weed management, erosion control and succession planning for areas that are in decline.
“A holistic approach ensures all components of ecosystem management are addressed to support stream health and salmon recovery,” she said. “A healthy urban forest is just one component to ensure our critical areas remain ecologically sound for generations to come.”
Salmon recovery matters because “salmon are synonymous with Washington and have been a vital part of tribal cultures, communities and economies from time immemorial,” according to the Department of Commerce.
“The protection and restoration of salmon habitat is critical for the preservation of this cultural identity,” the department said. “As Washington grows, communities are working to balance the urgent need for housing and infrastructure with sustainable protections for salmon habitat and water quality.”
The Urban Forestry Program will involve multiple departments throughout the city to better manage the urban tree canopy.
For the first step in this program, Port Angeles will hire a consultant to assess the city’s tree canopy and evaluate local stream conditions.
“The last assessment was completed 14 years ago,” Bornsworth said. “Since that time, tree decline has been observed in the city’s parks, open spaces and geologically hazardous areas. Using new data, we’ll be able to make informed decisions on how to best manage these recreational and critical areas for the benefit of fish, wildlife and our community members.”
Work is expected to begin immediately and continue through spring 2027. Part of the program will involve community outreach and education opportunities, which are planned to begin this fall.
For more information, email the Community & Economic Development department at ced@cityofpa.us.
The salmon recovery funds through Local Planning grants are supported with funding from the state’s Climate Commitment Act. For more information, go to climate.wa.gov.
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Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by email at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.
