Waters that sustain us
The Northwest landscape has been shaped by glaciers and running water, and these waterways continue to sustain all of our human and wildlife communities.

Wetlands support uniquely adapted plants, as well as aquatic and terrestrial animals. While some wetlands such as bogs are isolated from groundwater, many wetlands help to filter water for aquifers and streams.

Our watersheds are interwoven with rivers and streams that support an abundance of fish and terrestrial wildlife.

Estuaries are formed where rivers and streams meet the sea. These biologically rich areas have also been key to the Northwest’s economic development; many of our major cities are situated at the mouths of large rivers.

The Puget Sound’s nearshore is a rich, complex, environment including kelp beds, eelgrass meadows, salt marshes, rocky shores, sandy beaches and tidal flats. Stretching from uplands adjacent to saltwater to bedlands which receive sunlight, the nearshore provides critical habitat for species of biologic and economic value, including shellfish, salmon, groundfish, seabirds, and marine mammals. Puget Sound shorelines also support a wide range of commercial, navigational, residential and recreational activities.

Cascades that inspire us
The Cascade Range is visible from throughout the Pacific Northwest. Stretching over 700 miles across Northern California, Oregon, Washington, and Southern British Columbia, running parallel to the Pacific, about 100 to 150 miles inland, the range divides the communities and climates of eastern and western Washington. In addition to heavy winter snows, the Cascades are known for their low clouds, heavy warm weather rains, and traditional timber resources. The Cascades' western foothills and deep valleys support thick rain forests, while the eastern slopes support a variety of habitats ranging from ponderosa pine forests to shrub-steppe communities. Shrub-steppe habitat includes a rich variety of grasses, wildflowers, lichens and moss.

Communities that define us
The Northwest’s towns and cities grew in response to the riches of our landscape: from Tacoma’s waterfront, to the logging and mining town of Goldbar, to the farming community of Ellensburg. These growing communities, with their vibrant economies, will continue to respond to our landscape, and more than ever will shape the future of our region. Our natural areas are bisected by roads and railways - some of which have been converted to trails restoring connections between our communities. Remaining undeveloped lands in our urban growth areas have high potential real estate values, and in some cases, also offer unique open space or ecological values to our community.

The Northwest’s rural lands support both industrial and family agricultural activities, small woodlots, horse pastures and quiet residential life-styles. Near the urban fringe, these lands also bear the prospect of future development. Interspersed across this landscape are lands of ecological value, such as river corridors, wetlands, older stands of trees and such unique habitats as the oak savannas of Pierce County where gravelly prairies support a rich tapestry of grasses, wildflowers and scattered oak trees.