Strategic Plan

2007 – 2020 Strategic Plan

Island County Marine Resources Committee

Adopted 9-18-2007

Note: The strategic plan is a living document we will continue to adapt and amend.

 

 

I. Purpose of the MRC

Adopted 5-2-07

To contribute to the protection of the local and Northwest Straits marine environments through education, research and voluntary action. In so doing the MRC recommends remedial actions to local authorities and builds community awareness of the issues and support for the remedies.

 

II. Problem and Opportunity

Adopted 5-16-07

Marine species, habitat and water quality have declined in recent decades because of human influences. We can help our community change behaviors to restore the natural abundance and diversity that make Island County an attractive and healthy place to live, work and visit.

 

 

III. Mission

Adopted 5-16-07

Our mission is to help protect the marine environments of Island County and the Northwest Straits by measurably raising community awareness of marine issues and generating support for remedies by 2020.

 

IV. Vision

Adopted 5-16-07

By 2020 we envision widespread community implementation of best practices and other actions to protect and promote healthy marine waters and sustainable marine life and habitat, contributing in turn to a strong Island County economy.

 

V. MRC assets

Adopted 7-18-07

•  Represents diverse disciplines and interests

•  Engaged and works cohesively

•  Locally-led and locally knowledgeable

•  Excellent baseline science

•  Strong outreach and education capability

•  Strong partner in WSU Beach Watchers – large pool of trained volunteers

•  Skill and experience in writing and procuring grants.

•  Connectivity with county professional staff and WSU Extension

VI. Assess current conditions

Adopted 7-18-07 and Amended 9-4-07

 

A. Positive

  1. Island County still has some relatively healthy habitat
  2. Most residents, property owners and visitors love our county's natural assets, marine recreation and rural lifestyle
  3. An active, well-supported Land Trust is helping protect sensitive habitat
  4. Several thousand people are working to educate the public and build support for remedies including Friends of Camano Island Parks, Friends of Freeland, The Orca Network, the Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group, Skagit River Systems Cooperative, Stilly-Sno Fisheries Enhancement Task Force, Waste Wise Volunteers, WSU Beach Watchers, Whidbey Audubon, Whidbey Camano Land Trust, Whidbey Institute at Chinook, Whidbey Watershed Stewards and Wild Fish Conservancy.
  5. Several community groups are engaging volunteers in restoration including both WSU Beach Watchers and Whidbey Watershed Stewards.
  6. The Shore Stewards program is growing on both islands
  7. WSU Beach Watchers are engaging ever-larger numbers in science and outreach
  8. Much baseline science has been compiled but may not be accessible and used by county departments
  9. Much of the shoreline is publicly owned, which facilitates protection and restoration efforts.

 

B. Negative

  1. Many estuaries, creek mouths and sections of natural shoreline were altered during the early years of development—wetlands filled or diked, estuaries closed, creeks diverted, roads built.
  2. Our population and shoreline development are growing rapidly
  3. Salmon, orca, steelhead and other marine populations are threatened – down sharply from mid-1900s
  4. Many shellfish areas are closed because of fecal and other pollution
  5. Specific sources of pollution are not well documented -- septic failure, livestock, hydrocarbons, domestic pets
  6. Nonpoint pollution is a growing threat, not well understood or addressed
  7. Most people do not understand these problems, nor what they can do to help
  8. We have extensive shoreline compared to most other counties – 212 miles -- a huge challenge to protect and restore
  9. In the most populous and urbanized area of north Whidbey we have a large transient population that does not seem as engaged in marine and environmental issues as residents living elsewhere on Whidbey and Camano islands.
  10. County departments may not be accessing or using much of the excellent baseline data collected in recent years.

 

VII. Goals and Objectives

Adopted in principle 9-4-07 . Revised 9-16-07 and Adopted 9-18-07

 

Definitions from NWSC strategic planning template

Goals : Broad statements of what the MRC expects to attain or achieve in the near-term or longer term. Goals should be realistic, based on identified needs and achievable in a reasonable or defined period of time. Objectives: Statements of specific, measurable and attainable outcomes that contribute to achievement of a particular goal. They focus on changing people's behavior or circumstances or establishing a process for achieving a particular goal.

 

A. Make our stewardship areas and the Northwest Straits benchmarks the framework for MRC strategic planning.

 

1. Projects selected and prioritized based on how well they support the strategic plan.

 

B. Identify habitat and species targets

 

•  Key ecological systems identified within the stewardship areas – i.e. species, groupings of species or ecological communities or systems that, together, represent the range of diversity of the Island County Marine Stewardship Areas and their ecosystems.

•  Ecological systems ranked for viability based on health of the key ecological factors and processes on which they depend.

•  Rankings used to assess overall biodiversity health of each stewardship area.

•  Stresses identified that are causing destruction or impairment of specific systems, e.g. water pollution.

•  Sources identified that are causing the stresses, e.g. specific activities.

•  Strategies developed to address those stresses.

•  Targets selected for desired improvement (measurable benchmarks)

 

C. Conduct and facilitate sound science to increase community knowledge about habitats and species, and their status over time.

 

•  Data gaps filled in our understanding of the stewardship areas.

 

D. Recommend, conduct and facilitate voluntary actions to protect and enhance habitats and species.

 

•  Shore Stewards' voluntary guidelines widely adopted.

•  Wide implementation of voluntary recycling, composting, low impact development.

•  Beach Watchers and other community programs expanded in partnership with MRC to increase community knowledge and adoption of stewardship practices.

 

E. Recommend, conduct and facilitate community outreach to share data and stewardship practices, and to promote enhancement of species and their habitats.

 

•  Community surveyed to assess degree of understanding and implementation of stewardship practices.

•  Wide implementation of voluntary recycling, composting, low impact development.

•  Beach Watchers and other community programs expanded in partnership with MRC to increase community knowledge and adoption of stewardship practices.

•  MRC data readily accessible for public and governmental use.

•  MRC data widely used .

•  Data generated from other sources also widely used to inform marine decisions.

•  Community understanding demonstrably increased by books, websites, signage, brochures, news articles, meetings and workshops.

•  County leaders regularly briefed by MRC; these leaders periodically approach the MRC for information and consultation.

•  Many shoreline property owners embrace Shore Stewards' 10 guidelines.

•  Partnerships developed, e.g. with Port of Coupeville on Coupeville Wharf education center

 

F. Participate in the Puget Sound Partnership, within the Whidbey Basin Action Area.

 

VIII. Action Plan

*** In Development ***