The Action Agenda for Puget Sound can be accessed through the navigation links on this page. Content on this and associated web pages provides a high-level summary of content from the Action Agenda and should not be considered part of the official plan.

What is the Action Agenda?

The Action Agenda is our region's shared roadmap for Puget Sound recovery. The plan outlines the regional strategies and specific actions needed to protect and restore Puget Sound. The Action Agenda is a collective effort that is informed by science and guides effective investment in Puget Sound protection and restoration.
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Why do we need it?

Over the past 150 years, human use and the stresses of emerging threats such as ocean acidification, have caused the degradation of water quality, water quantity, and habitat. The pressures are relentless and continue to take their toll on the Puget Sound ecosystem. Together with our partner agencies, organizations, and citizens, we can protect and restore Puget Sound by using science-informed, prioritized actions—this is what the Action Agenda is designed to do.
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Who Makes it?

Developing a prioritized, science-informed master plan for Puget Sound recovery requires the contributions of hundreds of partners. The Action Agenda is made possible by the following entities working together with a shared vision for the future of Puget Sound:

• The Puget Sound Partnership and its four boards
• Federal, tribal, state, and local governments
• Local Integrating Organizations
• Salmon recovery and watershed groups
• Environmental non-profits
• Academic institutions

How Do you define recovery?

Puget Sound recovery, in the context of the Action Agenda, is an inclusive term that covers the protection and restoration of essential resources and functions. When the Washington State Legislature created the Puget Sound Partnership, it also defined six recovery goals related to healthy human population, human quality of life, species and food web, protect and restore habitat, water quantity, and water quality. LEARN MORE about the Partnership’s approach to managing recovery.

How do we know it's working?

The Puget Sound Partnership assesses the effectiveness of recovery efforts by evaluating data to determine how well management actions and programs are working to achieve desired outcomes. The approach to effectiveness monitoring has two parts. First, we evaluate the effectiveness of actions that have already been implemented. Second, we communicate the results to decision-makers as they plan the next round of recovery actions. Several tools are used to communicate results, including the Puget Sound Vital Signs, Action Agenda Report Card, and State of the Sound report.
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How is it paid for?

Puget Sound recovery programs benefit from significant federal, state, and local funding. The Partnership funding strategy aims to develop and secure stable and diverse funding to implement Action Agenda priorities through three approaches:

Get the most from available funding. Make the most of the available funding by narrowing the focus of implementation efforts to actions that will have the highest potential benefit to recovery efforts.

Define the funding gap and ways to bridge it. Gain a clearer picture of the size and nature of the funding gap to develop immediate priorities and inform longer-term efforts to address the gap.

Refine and implement solutions to bridge the funding gap. Clearly define and prioritize solutions to fill the funding gap, the steps needed for implementation, and roles and responsibilities.