Science, Fish and Wildlife

Portland's Endangered Species Act Program

The Science, Fish and Wildlife Program began in 1998 as a citywide Endangered Species Act (ESA) Program in response to federal listings of Willamette River salmon and steelhead as threatened species. The Portland City Council directed the ESA Program to take a proactive approach, develop a citywide, integrated response, work cooperatively with the federal government, and assist in the recovery of listed species.

The city developed a vision to guide watershed restoration:

Portland's urban form supports both a thriving economy and natural processes that maintain healthy ecosystems. Portland protects and restores properly functioning habitat conditions throughout its watersheds to support abundant, self-sustaining populations of native fish and wildlife. These efforts enhance the livability and vitality of Portland for its citizens and help meet the city's obligations under the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, Superfund, Safe Drinking Water Act and other laws.

As its duties expanded, the ESA Program became the Science, Fish and Wildife Program in 2007 to reflect the overall scientific foundation it provides to the Portland Watershed Management Plan and to the city. The Science Fish and Wildlife Program:

• Oversees the Watershed Management Plan monitoring program
• Manages the Streamlining Agreement for permitting projects
• Works on Crystal Springs Creek restoration and fish barrier removal
• Developed the Terrestrial Ecology and Enhancement Strategy (TEES) to minimize project impacts on wildlife