Crossposted from Headwaters Each May, we celebrate American Wetlands Month to shine a light on these special ecosystems that provide clean water, flood protection, and critical habitat for plants, fish, and wildlife. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wetland Inventory Program, a vital tool for tracking wetlands across the United States, including right here in King County. You can learn more about this work and check out status and trends in the NWI’s 50th anniversary Storymap. The NWI includes a wetland inventory that was developed by King County and adopted by… Read More

Crossposted from Field Notes Darren Moffatt has always loved tinkering. Although it’s not his day job, several times a year you’ll find him volunteering as a “fixer” at King County-sponsored repair events. He can be spotted working a screwdriver, applying glue, or even rewiring electronics. “Repair events help keep items out of the landfill by giving them new life instead of throwing them away.” Darren says. “But repair events also have invaluable community impact. At one event, a woman brought me a broken hair clip that seemed simple to me. A piece… Read More

A study launched this spring by the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks will assess the current condition of forest canopy in unincorporated areas, which will inform future actions with communities that promote equitable access to healthy tree canopy. The project team will study 34 square miles, which includes urban unincorporated communities and the unincorporated rural towns of Fall City, Vashon, and Snoqualmie Pass. The study is led by the department’s new Urban Forestry Program, building on decades of progress King County foresters have made promoting forest health in rural… Read More

Crossposted from the DES Express  With the reorganization of the Executive’s Office and the formal establishment of the Harborview Construction and Infrastructure Division (HCID) earlier this year, the Department of Executive Services (DES) expands its commitment to climate action. DES is among several key agencies in King County leading climate work, along with Metro, the Department of Natural Resources and Parks, and others. “We are well-positioned for this critical work,” said Lorraine Patterson-Harris, DES Director. “Most of our divisions are involved and bring strong leadership and expertise.” Read more.  Pictured: Fleet Services’ Sina… Read More

Crossposted from Headwaters King County typically enjoys a reliable abundance of rainfall. And once it hits the ground, rainwater seeps into soil or runs along streets and parking lots, flowing into storm drains, and disappearing underground. …Or does it? In some parts of King County, stormwater can travel through miles of pipes, creeks, or both before finally emerging in lakes or the Puget Sound. During its journey, stormwater can mix with the E. coli bacteria found in poop from people, pets, and wildlife. Poop-contaminated water can threaten community health and close swim beaches and… Read More

Crossposted from Public Health Insider It’s hard to avoid plastic. So many common objects that we use regularly have plastic, from toothbrushes and soap bottles to juice cartons and kids’ toys.   I sat down with Dr. Shirlee Tan, a toxicologist with Public Health, to chat about plastic and find out: Is it a concern for our health? And if so, how can we protect ourselves? Read more.

Crossposted from King County Local King County has completed a major update of its regulations for developing land near wetlands, streams, and other critical areas. Created through three years of research, planning, and public discussion, the updated King County Critical Area Ordinance is a set of land use regulations intended to safeguard environmentally critical areas, communities, and infrastructure. The King County Council adopted the final ordinance in December. The term “critical area” refers to land that merits special protection because of its ecological value or importance to public health or safety. Examples include wetlands,… Read More

Crossposted from Field Notes When the South County Recycling and Transfer Station in Algona opens this summer to replace its 60-year-old predecessor, customers of King County’s newest solid waste facility will find convenient waste disposal and a wide range of recycling options. Built with a focus on sustainability and environmental stewardship to ensure long-lasting service for communities in and around Algona, Auburn, Federal Way and Pacific, this new station will feature separate disposal areas for commercial garbage haulers and public self-haul customers. Read more.