The Green/Duwamish Watershed isn’t a series of isolated parts — river, uplands and habitats — it’s one connected whole. Our approach to protecting the entire Watershed should be just as connected.

The Our Green/Duwamish project was initiated in 2014 by King County and City of Seattle to coordinate the work already being done by local, state, and federal agencies to manage habitat restoration, salmon recovery, flood control, public health, economic development, and more.

The Regional Open Space Strategy (ROSS) Team currently at the University of Washington is also playing a lead role in developing the Our Green/Duwamish project.

The innovative ROSS approach involves convening decision-makers, planners, businesses, and individuals with the power to make smart, regional-based decisions to support open space in the Central Puget Sound. ROSS is part of a growing national movement to invest in a more comprehensive approach to regional planning that explores how our investments in natural systems support a broad set of community objectives beyond land conservation and habitat protection.

Here in our area, ROSS is focused on identifying priorities and solutions for five key challenges:

• Climate change
• Biodiversity
• Social equity
• Human health
• Economic Development

Learn more about the Regional Open Space Strategy (ROSS) framework online.