Since the 1970s, North America has lost 30 percent of its birds, equivalent to three billion birds, due largely to habitat loss. Audubon’s science shows that two-thirds of the remaining North American bird species are at risk of extinction from climate change. Here in Washington, 70 species of shorebirds, waterfowl, marsh birds, and seabirds rely on Puget Sound during some part of their annual cycle, with natural areas across Snohomish County critical nesting and breeding grounds. Since moving from Bothell to Edmonds in 1993, I have witnessed the dramatic decline in birds out on the Sound.
Snohomish County’s coastal wetlands and shorelines are increasingly vulnerable to coastal flooding due to sea level rise and changes in weather patterns, putting birds — and communities — at risk. That’s why Pilchuck Audubon Society is a participant in Audubon Around the Sound, a new initiative designed to bring conservationists together to protect Puget Sound’s coastal habitats in a changing climate.
Nature-based solutions provide a path forward to help ensure we’re protecting coastal infrastructure while planning for the habitat needs of birds now and in the future. For example, the City of Edmonds is addressing flooding along Dayton Street and Harbor Square by restoring the estuary for the Edmonds Marsh. This community-led grant-funded project submitted by the Edmonds Public Works Department aims to mitigate future flooding caused by sea level rise.
I welcome readers to participate in our community programs and efforts to protect coastal habitats and the birds and wildlife that depend on them.
William E. Derry, President
Pilchuck Audubon Society
Edmonds
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