State of Washington

Purpose: the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Is Providing $623,315 in Federal Funding to Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Through the FY2023 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law National Estuarine Research Reserve Habitat Restoration and Conservation Competition. This Project Will Be Fully Supported Through Funding Available Under the Inflation Reduction Act. This Funding Will Increase Climate Resilience of Coastal Communities Within Coastal Counties Through Habitat Restoration Planning, Engineering and Design Projects, Habitat Restoration Implementation Projects, and Land Conservation Projects. Specifically, Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Will Use These Funds to Transition 15 Acres of Old Pastures From a Species-poor Grassland Dominated by Non-native Species to a Species-rich Native Coastal Oak Prairie Habitat That Will Be Protected Long-term as Part of the Reserve. This Will Be Achieved by Co-managing With Local Tribes (the Samish Indian Nation and the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community), Integrating Modern Methods With the Traditional Knowledge That Sustained This Rare Habitat for Centuries and Will Ultimately Be Key to Its Resilience to Climate Change. the Intended Benefits Include Increased Biodiversity and Habitat Resilience, Increased Public Awareness and Access, Increased Tribal Access to Rare and Culturally Important Species, and Promotion of Traditional Ecological Knowledge as Central to Natural Resource Management in a Changing Climate.