This agreement provides funding to the stillaguamish tribe of indians, natural resources department, to support the tribe's work to advance puget sound recovery and protect tribal treaty resources…

The Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians' Natural Resources Department received a $600,000 cooperative agreement from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10 under the Geographic Programs - Puget Sound Protection and Restoration: Tribal Implementation Assistance Program (CFDA 66.121) effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2030. This five-year award supports the Tribe's efforts to advance Puget Sound ecosystem recovery and protect tribal treaty resources through multiple integrated activities. Primary deliverables include six high-resolution georeferenced orthomosaic maps produced using small-unmanned aerial systems (SUAS) for habitat inventory and monitoring; avian survey documentation comprising 440 datasheets and pre/post-restoration species assemblage comparisons; marine mammal survey outputs including four seasonal distribution maps, one haul-out map, and 25 survey datasheets; and course completion documentation for SUAS environmental restoration training.

The agreement supports ongoing restoration and monitoring activities focused on the Stillaguamish River Basin and tribally owned conservation parcels. Additional deliverables encompass large-scale habitat restoration project designs, permits, and related documentation; an updated Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP); annual intertidal work plans; continuous temperature monitoring data; and systematic drone flight operations for sediment mapping updates. The Tribe will also conduct regional outreach and education initiatives, participate in Puget Sound recovery meetings to ensure tribal representation, advance riparian vegetation monitoring, develop shellfish resiliency plans, and improve accessibility to historical Chinook salmon data. No subawards are included under this cooperative agreement.

This agreement provides funding to the stillaguamish tribe of indians, natural resources department, to support the tribe's work to advance puget sound recovery and protect tribal treaty resources through the use of small-unmanned aerial systems (suas) for environmental data collection, wildlife monitoring to assess chinook predation, and estuary restoration actions. Activities:the activities to be performed include engaging in outreach and education, advancing large-scale habitat restoration projects, monitoring riparian vegetation health, plan for shellfish resiliency, and improving the use and accessibility of decades of data related to stillaguamish chinook salmon. Tribal staff will utilize suas (small-unmanned aerial systems) and high-resolution mapping to perform a systematic inventory of tribally owned parcels designated for conservation and restoration purposes, producing high-resolution georeferenced orthomosaics. The tribe will also build off from past work in continuing to monitor estuarine wildlife in the stillaguamish river basin while actively participating in regional meetings, to ensure that tribal perspectives are represented in puget sound recovery initiatives while incorporating results from their research and outreach.subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include the documentation of UAS for environmental restoration course completion, and six high-resolution orthomosaic maps, 440 datasheets from avian survey events and pre and post restoration species assemblages' comparison; and, four seasonal distribution maps, one haul out map and 25 survey datasheets from seal survey events, designs, reports, permit applications, and related documents for large restoration projects in the stillaguamish watershed, an updated quality assurance project plan (qapp), annual intertidal work plans, annual drone flights for sediment map updates, continuous temperature monitoring, the expected outcomes include a pathway for safe, sustainable, and resilient shellfish populations that will benefit both tribal membership and the health of puget sound. The intended beneficiaries are the members of the stillaguamish indian tribe and surrounding communities.