The State of Our Island Environment

1
The State of Our Island Environment

• Presented to the
• Vashon-Maury Island Community Council (VMICC)
• by the
• VMICC Sustainable Practices Committee
• Earth Week, 2004

2
Our land
Overview - Topics

• Our species

• Our water - Quantity - Quality

• Recycling and waste disposal

• Energy use

• Transportation

• Housing

• Businesses

• Agriculture

• Forestry

3
Overview - Questions

• Where have we been?

• Where are we now?

• Where are we headed?

• What are our challenges?

KEY POINT - Like our community itself, this
summary is a work in progress. All additional
input is both welcome and encouraged!
4
Our species (From Martin Baker and John
Gerstle,9/02)
Population of VMI in 1997 10,500 gt Increase
since 1980 40.5 gt Increase since 1990
12Population forecast for 2011 11,000
People per sq mi in 1994 276 People per
sq mi in 1997 284Total built-out population
for VMI might eventually reach 21,300
5
Our Land (From VMI Forest Stewards)
Where have we been?
- Approximately 10,000 years ago, glacier
recedes - Start over! - Before human
habitation,VMI was covered by a highly
biodiverse ancient forest dominated by
towering firs, hemlocks. cedars, snags Forest
floor - Open, with orchids, other rare
flora, thick soils, downed logs Younger, more
open stands - Thick undergrowth, seedlings
of shade- tolerant species (hemlock, cedar)
Clearings - Alder, fireweed, salal,
thimbleberry, evergreen huckleberry - By
1920s, most of the forest cleared -
Farmland dominates landscape until after WWII
6

• (Insert photos of big tree and barren ag field
  from FS presentation here)

7
Our Land (From Forest Stewards, Land Trust,
Martin Baker Libby McLarty)
Where are we now?
Total area 23,566 acres (37 sq mi)
Forest 15,875 acres (67) Forests lt
5 acres 11 Forests 5-20 acres 38
Forests 20-50 acres 13 Forests gt 50
acres 6 Agricultural land 2,400 acres
(10)Protected land (2003) 3,661 ac (16 )
KC Current Use Taxation 3,170 ac (13)Owned by
KC, Vashon Park District 83 ac Land Trust owned
or stewarded 408 acProportion of all KC
shoreline on VMI 50Proportion of VMI shoreline
armored 50
8
Our Land

• Where have we been?

• Where are we now?

• Where are we headed?

• What are our challenges?

9
Our Land

• Where have we been?

• Where are we now?

• Where are we headed?

• What are our challenges?

10
Our Land

• Where have we been?

• Where are we now?

• Where are we headed?

• What are our challenges?

11
Resources - Online

• King Countys Vashon-Maury Island web
  page (http//dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/watersheds/
  puget/vashon-maury-island.htm)

- Basin steward program- KC satellite office
on VMI- Surface water management- Ground
water management- Wastewater management-
Salmon watcher program- Beach and nearshore
environment- Forestry programs- Agriculture
Protection of agricultural land
Promoting the sale of ag products- Results from
1999-2000 soil sampling projectgt
Consider using this site as focus for info
on VMI sustainability
12
Resources - Online (VMI organizations)

• Vashon Park District (http//www.vashonparkdist
  rict.org/index.html)

- Entry- Entry Sub-entry Sub-entry
13
Our Challenges (and some proposed solutions)
Land Use

• Maintaining access to trails - Open discussion
  among walkers,, equestrians, landowners
  - Swedish custom Allemansratten

• Maintaining awareness of proposed land-use
  changes (i.e., white signs) - Add a regularly
  updated map to King Countys Vashon
  webpage, showing locations and details for
  every proposed change

14
DISCARDS(?)
15
Where weve been
Overview
Where we are
Where were headed
16
Native island ecosystems - History -
Diversity - Current status - Protection
Overview - Topics

• Energy use

• Transportation

• Recycling and waste disposal

• Land use patterns

• Forestry

• Agriculture

• Housing

• Businesses

• Future projects

17
Our land - Native ecosystems (DELETE?) -
Human impacts (DELETE?)
Overview - Topics

• Our water - Quantity - Quality

• Energy use

• Recycling and waste disposal

• Transportation

• Housing

• Businesses

• Agriculture

• Forestry