Cooperative Agreement F23AC01049

THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS CONSERVATION DISTRICT SEEKS FUNDING TO CONTINUE EELGRASS MEADOW RESTORATION EFFORTS AT BELL POINT IN WESTCOTT BAY AND BEGIN RESTORATION AT MULTIPLE OTHER SITES IN THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS.RAPID DISAPPEARANCE OF EELGRASS IN THE SAN JUAN S HAS BEEN WELL-DOCUMENTED AT SPECIFIC AND WIDESPREAD SITES SINCE THE EARLY 2000S (WA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES PUGET SOUND SEAGRASS MONITORING REPORT NEARSHORE HABITAT PROGRAM (CHRISTIAEN B. ET AL 2017)). THIS LOSS IS NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD BUT CARRIES WITH IT MANY SEVERE ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL IMPACTS. IN THE CONTEXT OF SALMON RECOVERY ALONE, HEALTHY EELGRASS IS ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL COMPONENTS FOR LONG TERM CHINOOK SALMON SURVIVAL BECAUSE IT HOSTS THE EGGS OF FORAGE FISH THAT SALMON PREY ON AND PROVIDES SAFE HARBOR FOR THE JUVENILE SALMON THEMSELVES.AT THIS TIME, LIMITED RESTORATION EFFORTS HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTED BY DNR OR OTHER AGENCIES. RESTORATION EFFORTS BY DNR HAVE FOCUSED ON TRANSPLANTING ADULT PLANTS AND HAVE NOT PROVEN SUCCESSFUL, WITH LOW OR NO PLANT SURVIVAL OBSERVED.THE DIRECT SEEDING EFFORTS DESCRIBED HERE, UNDERTAKEN BY SAN JUAN ISLANDS CONSERVATION DISTRICT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UW FRIDAY HARBOR LABS AND DNR, ARE SHOWING SIGNS OF SUCCESS. SEEDING IS GAINING GLOBAL SUPPORT AS A COST-EFFECTIVE METHOD THAT DESERVES TO BE STUDIED, IMPROVED, AND APPLIED BROADLY THROUGHOUT THE SALISH SEA AND PUGET SOUND.IN 2023-2025, OUR PROJECT TEAM IS SEEKING FUNDING TO CONTINUE WORK COMPLETED BETWEEN 2019-2022. OUR WORK HAS FOCUSED ON SEED COLLECTION, STORAGE, AND PLANTING TECHNIQUES. OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS OUR TEAM HAS:- INCREASED SEED HARVEST VOLUMES FROM ROUGHLY 5,000 TO 35,000 SEEDS ANNUALLY,- INCREASED SEED STORAGE CAPACITY AND IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE COMMENSURATE WITH SEED VOLUMES,- TESTED SEVERAL DIRECT SEEDING TECHNIQUESSPECIFIC OBJECTIVES IN THE NEXT 2-3 YEARS INCLUDE:1. INCREASE SEED COLLECTION VOLUME AND STORAGE CAPACITY FROM 50,000 TO 500,000 SEEDS.2. CONTINUE REPEATED SEED PLANTING AND MONITORING IN WESTCOTT BAY AND EXPORT APPROPRIATE SEEDING TECHNIQUES TO 3-4 ADDITIONAL SITES IN SAN JUAN COUNTY.3. INCREASE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS AND LANDOWNERS TO CONTRIBUTE TO PROGRAM SUCCESS, ESPECIALLY WATERFRONT LANDOWNERS.4. MAINTAIN A ROBUST SEED BANK, PROGRESS REPORT AND PROGRAM MANUAL TO SUPPORT BROADER EELGRASS SEEDING EFFORTS ALONG THE WASHINGTON COAST.5. PROVIDE SEEDS FROM CENTRAL SEED BANK TO SUPPORT RESTORATION EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN BY LANDOWNERS THROUGHOUT THE REGION.