Copyright © 2005 Ecostudies Institute
A nonprofit organization committed to ecological research and conservation
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Overview
Prior to Euro-American settlement, large populations of waterfowl and shorebirds used the tidal flats and
estuarine marshlands of northwest river deltas for wintering areas and stopover sites. Increasing
development over the last 150 years has resulted in extensive changes to coastal habitats. The majority
(> 75%) of tidal marshes in the northwest have been diked and drained, mostly for agriculture. The loss
and degradation of coastal wetlands has had a significant negative impact to waterfowl and shorebirds,
salmonids, and other wetland-dependent species. These impacts have been well studied in other regions
of North America, however, research from the Pacific Northwest is lacking. Today, agricultural areas that
historically were coastal marsh are used by, and often managed for, waterfowl and shorebirds. However,
it is unclear the role that agricultural habitats play in the maintenance of these populations. This
question is increasingly important as efforts to restore these lands are contemplated. Ecostudies
Institute is working with The Nature Conservancy and Skagit River System Cooperative to explore the
relationship between estuarine habitats and waterfowl and shorebird populations in the Greater Skagit
River delta. These data are critical for resource managers charged with developing and implementing
effective bird conservation strategies for these important areas.
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