Audubon's Washington Coastal Conservation Strategy integrates three interconnected priorities - science, policy, and community engagement - to deliver meaningful conservation outcomes to help halt and ultimately reverse bird declines across the Pacific Flyway.  

Science-Driven Conservation 

To guide this work, Audubon is developing the Salish Sea State of the Birds report, the first regional assessment of its kind. Informed by extensive consultations with conservation professionals representing state and federal agencies, tribes, research institutions, and conservation groups across the region, the report will provide a shared foundation for understanding the health of our coastal and marine bird populations, pinpointing urgent conservation priorities, identifying data gaps, and shaping coordinated policy and management actions. 

Inspiring Action Through Storytelling 

The Salish Sea State of the Birds report will be more than a scientific assessment; it will be a spark for public engagement. Birds are powerful ambassadors for the places they need. When we protect bird habitat, we're also protecting clean water, thriving salmon runs, and outdoor recreation. We'll use results from the report’s synthesis to tell compelling stories and build public support. By providing chapters and partners with content, tools, and messaging, we hope to inspire local action across the state. 

Advancing Our Policy Agenda 

By integrating science into policy and planning, we can build more resilient coastal systems for both wildlife and people. Building on our recent policy successes supporting better planning for shoreline protection and climate change, we will use the Salish Sea State of the Birds findings to identify new policy opportunities and collaborate with chapters and partners to engage decision-makers and advance policies that protect habitat and address climate change. 

Our Coastal Conservation Strategy also connects our conservation efforts in Washington to the broader Pacific Flyway. Breeding seabirds link us to offshore food webs, migratory shorebirds connect us to Arctic and South American wetlands, and wintering waterfowl tie us to distant boreal breeding grounds. By protecting the conditions birds need here, we contribute to conservation across the hemisphere. 

Through collaboration, science, and shared stewardship, we can ensure that the places birds need continue to sustain all of us. 

View the complete Washington Coastal Conservation Strategy.