Shoalwater BAY indian tribenative coastal dune critical habitat and traditional resource restoration and monitoring- proposal abstract submitted for the FY23 united state fish and wildlife service…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded a $186,833.48 Tribal Wildlife Grants Program (CFDA 15.639) project grant to the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation. The grant will fund a 2-year project from April 2024 to December 2025 to implement conservation management actions, habitat restoration, and public education to improve the conservation status of the western snowy plover and streaked horned lark. Key activities include removing invasive species, replanting native vegetation, and conducting field studies and monitoring to increase the resilience of coastal dune and shoreline habitats for these culturally significant bird species. The project aims to benefit tribal members by restoring traditional food sources and harvesting practices while maintaining the health and wellness of the Shoalwater Bay community under changing climate conditions.

Shoalwater BAY indian tribenative coastal dune critical habitat and traditional resource restoration and monitoring- proposal abstract submitted for the FY23 united state fish and wildlife service tribal wildlife grantthe shoalwater BAY indian tribe natural resources departments (sbdnr) goal is to improve the lives of the shoalwater community and improve the conservation status of the western snowy plover and streaked horned lark. Larks and plovers residing on shoalwaters coastal beaches and dunes are one of only three sites in washington that provide successful nesting and fledgling habitat. The sbdnr project has three main components. First is to implement conservation management actions to remove invasive and nonnative species from the coastal dune- outer beaches- intertidal wetlands- and inner shorelines two is to implement restoration actions to replant and restore target areas in a mutually beneficial matter that both increases the habitat quantity and quality available for plovers and larks while also increasing the availability of traditional plants- shellfish- and fish resources for tribal members. Field studies- population surveys- habitat mapping- and public education will be implemented and three is restoring target areas to increase the resilience of the coastal dune stability and shoreline to climate driven conditions such as erosion- flooding- and invasive species proliferation. Sbdnrs goal is to improve the conservation status of the western snowy plover and streaked horned lark. By increasing the species viability and therefore improving the resiliency of the coastal washington population- sbdnr will also maintain representation and redundancy by protecting and restoring the northernmost recovery unit within the species range for western snowy plover- and the northernmost portion of the pacific coast recovery zone for the streaked horned lark.through education and outreach- and general presence sbdnr will increase the conservation and survival of the western snowy plover and streaked horned lark. Habitat improvements for plovers and larks will also benefit tribal members- by restoring lands of the tribe and reintroducing culturally important species that have been outcompeted- lost- or removed.resilience strategies provide a foundation for the tribe reconnect with and enhance traditional food and harvesting practices in ways that maintain the continued health and wellness ofcommunity members under changing conditions. By melding current and longstanding traditional ecological knowledges management practices with western science techniques- sbdnr and the cultural departments can ensure resilience efforts are both successful and culturally sound benefiting tribal resources and tribal sovereignty over the management of trust resources.traditional and native species provide critical cultural connections to both the landscape and important cultural traditions. They also provide opportunities for intergenerational knowledge sharing. While not all native species are guaranteed to thrive in a climate-altered future- prioritizing their planting and management in appropriate locations will help ensure that these resources are available for many generations. The tribe is committed to work with nature to remain resilient and promote actions that increase the enhance cultural health and traditions and protect the shoalwater BAY tribes reservation by decreasing the effects of extreme weather- climate hazards- and changing ocean conditions. This will all increase the likelihood of enduring protection of local infrastructure by the berm and enable new plans to be designed as to how to best cope with the ever-changing coastal conditions and climate hazards. The berm is a westernized creation created out of a response by colonial government systems to protect the tribe from climate hazards faced because of the location of the reservation the government placed the tribe.