News & Events
March 7, 2008
Cascadia Community College and UW Bothell Receive Salmon-Safe Certification
Bothell, WA - Salmon-Safe and its Seattle-based outreach partner The
Network for Business Innovation and Sustainability (NBIS) announced today that
the Washington State Department of Ecology headquarters campus, Port of Seattle
Parks, and the co-located campus of University of Washington Bothell and
Cascadia Community College have become the first urban Washington sites to
achieve Salmon-Safe certification.
The certifications mark the expansion of Salmon-Safe in Washington from farms
to the city and offer landowners new tools to improve salmon habitat that go
above and beyond regulations.
The designation was awarded for safeguards each campus deploys to protect water
quality and salmon habitat, as well as commitments each organization has made to
further reduce its environmental impact over time.
Salmon-Safe certification means landowners go above and beyond regulations to
adopt significant and specific measures that restore in-stream habitat, conserve
water, protect streamside habitat and wetlands on site, reduce erosion and
sedimentation, and reduce or eliminate the use of chemical pesticides through
integrated pest management. Certification is awarded only after comprehensive
on-site assessments by an independent team of environmental science and water
quality experts based on Salmon-Safe’s rigorous standards. Salmon Safe is a
leading regional eco-label that in 11 years has certified more than 60,000 acres
of farm and urban lands in Oregon and Washington.
Washington’s Salmon-Safe Corporate and Institutional Campus Initiative was
launched in April 2007 by NBIS with support from Puget Sound Partnership.
“Salmon-Safe certification represents precisely the kind of rigorous and
science-based yet voluntary approach that will be essential to the recovery of
imperiled Puget Sound salmon,” said Puget Sound Partnership Executive Director
David Dicks. “These first Seattle urban certifications open the door for other
corporate and institutional campuses to adopt Salmon-Safe measures that
contribute to the restoration of Puget Sound.”
The certifications mark a significant new opportunity for businesses and urban
landowners to participate in reducing impacts and restoring the health of Puget
Sound’s watersheds.
“These ecologically innovative landowners are adopting healthier practices so
salmon can spawn and thrive,” said Dan Kent, Salmon-Safe managing director. “We
look forward to further expansion of urban campus certifications in Washington.”
Steve Fry, who oversees environmental programs at the Washington State
Department of Ecology’s 27.5-acre headquarters in Lacey, Washington said
“Salmon-Safe ensures that our own practices measure up to our charge of
protecting salmon. We welcomed the independent review and found that we needed
to make some substantive changes.”
To qualify for Salmon-Safe certification, Department of Ecology met these
rigorous conservation requirements: implementing a biologically-based integrated
pest management program that relies on natural methods to control weeds and
pests, additional water conservation, and incorporating these best management
practices in all future campus development.
University of Washington Bothell and Cascadia Community College received
certification for their jointly managed 70-acre campus located along North
Creek, a tributary to the Sammamish River. “As an educational institution that
increasingly is incorporating sustainability in our research and teaching, we
were interested in applying the latest watershed protection concepts in our own
backyard,” said UW Bothell Chancellor Kenyon S. Chan.
“At Cascadia, we want to be out in front, when it comes to the environment,”
commented Cascadia Community College President Dr. William Christopher.
“Being designated Salmon-Safe helps us show that this campus is doing its part
to not only pass-on “green” values to our students, but make sure our true
environmental footprint matches those philosophies as well.”
Further refining already well-developed environmental management programs, UW
Bothell and Cascadia Community College met Salmon-Safe requirements including
reducing stormwater runoff from developed parts of the campus, reductions in
pesticide and fertilizer use, further water conservation, and commitment to
Salmon-Safe design and construction management for planned future campus
expansion and development. Salmon-Safe assessment also validated the excellence
of the campus’s 58-acre wetland restoration project along North Creek, a fully
restored research and teaching site adjacent to the campus that provides
potential migration, spawning and rearing habitat for juvenile and adult
steelhead and salmon.
Port of Seattle received certification for its system of parks and public access
points primarily located on the lower Duwamish Waterway in downtown Seattle. The
certification includes ten parks totaling nearly 50 acres.
“Recognizing the ecological sensitivity of our marine facilities, Port of
Seattle has committed to leadership in the protection of aquatic habitat on the
Seattle waterfront,” said Charla Skaggs, Port of Seattle media officer.
“Salmon-Safe certification is an important way for us to help lead the way to a
healthier Puget Sound.”
The Salmon Safe assessment report for Port of Seattle Parks notes that the Port
has conducted a number of impressive shoreline restoration projects and its
pesticide-free management policy is an outstanding example in the region. Still,
Port of Seattle is acting on several assessment team recommendations to enhance
its management program. For example, in an effort to reduce irrigation water
use, Port of Seattle has agreed to a stringent water conservation plan,
including a drought management plan. Port of Seattle also will seek to implement
innovative methods to minimize stormwater pollution from its parking lots and
other pollution generating surfaces. The Port also agreed to conduct at least
one additional shoreline restoration project on Elliot Bay or the Duwamish
Waterway as part of its certification program.
Mary Rose, NBIS Co-Director states, “The awarding of these first certifications
is just the beginning of Washington’s Salmon-Safe Corporate and Institutional
Campus Initiative. Today, the Port of Seattle, UW Bothell and Cascadia
Community College, and the Washington State Department of Ecology are inspiring
concerned business leaders and landowners to follow in their steps to help
restore Puget Sound.”
About Salmon-Safe: Salmon-Safe, a leading ecolabel, is devoted to restoring
agricultural and urban watersheds so that salmon can spawn and thrive.
Based in Portland, Ore., Salmon-Safe has certified more than 60,000 acres of
farm and urban lands in Oregon and Washington, including the headquarters of
leading businesses such as Nike and Kettle Foods, and 130 vineyards that
represent a third of Oregon's total vineyard acreage. Salmon-Safe labeled
products may be found in many supermarkets and natural foods stores. Salmon-Safe
partners with NBIS and Stewardship Partners, a Seattle nonprofit focused on
agricultural restoration, in Washington State. For more information, visit www.salmonsafe.org.
About NBIS: The Network for Business Innovation and Sustainability is a
networking organization for sustainable business professionals and their
companies in the Pacific Northwest. NBIS’ mission is to develop and support
sustainable business practices through workshops, training, sustainability
assessments and implementation strategies. NBIS provides recognition and support
to companies and organizations that are setting the standard for sustainable
business practices locally and globally. In addition to providing sustainability
tools and strategies, NBIS is the lead organization for Salmon-Safe
certification in the urban Puget Sound region and is a partner in developing
By-Product Synergy NW, the region’s first actively facilitated wide-scale
materials exchange program. Visit NBIS at www.nbis.org.
About University of Washington Bothell: The University of Washington Bothell was
founded in 1990 to serve King and Snohomish counties and north Puget Sound area
students seeking bachelor’s and master’s degrees. UW Bothell offers degree
programs in applied computing, business, nursing, education, computing and
software systems, interdisciplinary arts and sciences, cultural studies, and
policy studies.
About Cascadia Community College: Cascadia Community College is an accredited,
public community college, located in Bothell, WA. Cascadia is committed to
innovative instruction in small classes that emphasize active and collaborative
learning by students. More than 2,500 students are enrolled each quarter.
Additional Media Contacts:
Sandy Howard, Department of Ecology, 360.407.6408
Charla Skaggs, Port of Seattle, 206.728.3235.
Downloadable Salmon-Safe logo:
High Resolution EPS: www.salmonsafe.org/salmonsafe-highres.eps
Lower Resolution JPG: www.salmonsafe.org/salmonsafe-lowres.jpg
For more information contact:
Eric Ballas, Communications Coordinator
425.352.8256
eballas@cascadia.edu
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