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Indicator: Acres of Priority Habitat

Upstream Indicators
  •   Planned Density --- From 1996-2000 to 2002-2004, residential densities increased in King County. The 2004 density of 6.4 lots per acre for King County as a whole exceeds the benchmark of six lots per acre.  (view data graph)
  •   Shoreline Armoring --- There are increasing levels of riprap and sea walls being installed on Puget Sound shorelines. Conclusions from a baseline survey for shoreline armoring in 2005 show that many beach-feeding sediment sources have been locked up behind armoring.   (view data graph)
  •   Urbanization and Impervious Surface Changes --- The number of acres of urban land, clear-cut, and regenerating forest have increased in King County since 1986. Acres of grass and deciduous, mixed and coniferous forest have decreased. Acres of rural forests and privately owned working forests have declined in recent years  (view data graph)
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Downstream Indicators
  •   Threatened and Endangered Species --- Limited historical data exists. However, the rate of global species extinction has accelerated over the past century. Steps are being taken to curtail the rate of species decline in our region, but populations of species intolerant to human development are expected to decline as our region grows.  
  •   Stream Health --- Baseline data collected in 2002 and 2003. Insufficient data is available for determining a sustainability trend at this time.   (view data graph)
  •   Wild Salmon --- Many of Puget Sound's salmon stocks have experienced substantial declines over the past 50-100 years due to overfishing, dams, and habitat degradation. Although the number of mature, adult chinook salmon returning to their stream of origin were almost twice in 2006 as high as 2005 levels, they comprised only 25 percent of the long-term chinook population target.  (view data graph)
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Related Goals

Sustainability Snapshot:

The Puget Sound region contains an enormous variety of habitats, each supporting diverse communities of plant and animal life. Freshwater wetlands, old-growth forests, shrub-steppe, estuarine wetlands, nearshore marine, subtidal are all examples of significant habitat types critical to a diverse array of species. Extensive development, land use conversion and the introduction of non-native and invasive species have destroyed or degraded significant areas of functioning habitat over the past 100 years.

Sustainability Trend:

Data for thsi indicator is still under development.

Data Discussion

The Indicator Defined

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife defines "priority habitats" as those habitat types with unique or significant value to many fish or wildlife species. Priority species are those fish and wildlife species requiring special efforts to ensure their perpetuation because of their low numbers, sensitivity to habitat alteration, tendency to form vulnerable aggregations, or because they are of commercial, recreational, or tribal importance.

Data Interpretation/Evaluation

 

Data Source and Limitations

Data for this indicator is under development.  

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