CONTACT:   Susan Melnyk, Chief Communications Manager, (360) 867-2097 or susan.melnyk@co.thurston.wa.us

Thurston County Secures Grant to Strengthen Salmon Recovery
County and Conservation District team up to evaluate what’s working for salmon.

Olympia - Protecting salmon and the ecosystems they depend on requires more than a single program or regulation—it takes coordinated action across the landscape. Thurston County, in partnership with the Thurston Conservation District, has been awarded a $489,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce to support salmon recovery through local planning efforts in South Puget Sound.

As Thurston County continues to grow, decisions made across the landscape, from where development occurs to how land and water are managed, have a direct impact on water quality and habitat conditions. The project will take a big-picture look at how County programs work together to protect and restore ecosystems such as rivers, wetlands, and forests—habitats that are essential to healthy salmon populations. By examining how regulatory protections, development impacts, and conservation and restoration efforts interact, the County aims to better understand what is happening on the ground and how these combined efforts affect salmon habitat over time.

Chair of the Board of County Commissioner, Tye Menser, noted that the funding supports careful planning and evaluation without increasing costs for residents. “We’re grateful to the Department of Commerce for investing in this work. This grant allows Thurston County to take a closer, more coordinated look at how our programs support salmon recovery in South Puget Sound—without adding costs to local taxpayers. It gives us the tools to better understand what’s working on the ground and where we can do more.”

Rather than looking at programs in isolation, the effort will assess how multiple County tools and partner-led initiatives function together. The goal is to support more coordinated, adaptive, and accountable approaches to salmon recovery to ensure that local regulations and investments are achieving their intended outcomes.

The project also strengthens an existing partnership with the Thurston Conservation District, whose experience with landowners and community-based conservation will help ground the work in real-world conditions.

Associate Planner Claire Swearingen highlighted the value of tracking outcomes. “Healthy salmon populations depend on cold, clean water and functioning ecosystems. By monitoring results and evaluating how our regulations and programs work together, we can make more informed decisions and ensure tools like the Critical Areas Ordinance are meaningfully contributing to salmon recovery.”

The project reflects a long-term commitment to safeguarding water quality and rebuilding the habitat salmon depend on, helping ecosystems remain resilient as conditions change. This effort will guide future decisions and investments, ensuring Thurston County continues to grow in ways that protect the rivers, wetlands, and landscapes that define the region. 

To learn more about Community Planning projects visit ThurstonPlanning.org.