Order No. 2023-10 – Environmental Land Stewardship Principles Page 1 of 4
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Order No. 2023-10 2
AN ORDER OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE COMMISSION 3
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…to adopt principles to guide development of Port of Seattle’s 5
environmental land stewardship efforts around trees, forest, and 6
other habitat. 7
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PROPOSED 9
JULY 11, 2023 10
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INTRODUCTION 12
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This Order contains principles that offer a value statement and guidance for evaluating trade-14
offs that may arise when considering specific courses of action or projects in the comprehensive 15
approach to Port environmental land stewardship, including protecting and restoring trees, 16
forest, and other habitat. This set of principles ensures strategies, decisions, and actions are 17
consistently coordinated Port-wide for all types of land use. 18
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The Port operates essential transportation infrastructure to ensure the efficient movement of 20
people and goods in the region and must utilize its land for development and operations, which 21
can include tree removal. At the same time, the Port recognizes the importance of balancing 22
our operations with responsible use of resources, related to economic development, 23
transportation, and natural resources. 24
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The Port understands that trees, forest and other habitat provide valuable benefits to the public 26
and the environment. The Port continually strives to go beyond minimum regulatory 27
requirements to address environmental justice, improve environmental health, increase climate 28
resilience, and improve habitat for fish and wildlife. 29
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These principles, in line with the Equity Policy, offer guidance for responsibly stewarding our 31
economic, community, and environmental resources to further improve the livability, 32
accessibility, and environmental health of the region. 33
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TEXT OF THE ORDER 35
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The Port of Seattle Commission hereby adopts the following principles: 37
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1. Use a comprehensive approach to environmental land stewardship, including trees, 39
forest, and other habitat. 40
Item No. 10a_order
Meeting Date: July 11, 2023
Order No. 2023-10 – Environmental Land Stewardship Principles Page 2 of 4
a. Utilize landscape-scale inventory and assessment as the foundation for decision-41
making to establish benchmarks of existing conditions and natural resources and 42
tailoring stewardship approaches to existing and/or planned land uses. 43
b. Implement stewardship measures across all land use types (restoration sites, 44
parks and open space, development sites, and operating areas), so the Port is 45
consistent in its approach while reflecting site-specific needs. 46
c. Recognize the benefit of trees, forest and other habitat at locations that are 47
publicly accessible or near Port facilities, because those areas provide 48
environmental health and other benefits. 49
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2. Maximize opportunities to increase trees, forest and other habitat as part of 51
infrastructure planning and design. 52
a. Seek opportunities to expand and connect trees, forest, and other habitat to 53
achieve greater benefits to the community and fish and wildlife. The Port will 54
prioritize opportunities in or adjacent to existing contiguous trees, forest and 55
other habitat. 56
b. If the Port is not able to add trees, forest and other habitat to development sites 57
because of operational or land use standards, then the next consideration is to 58
prioritize opportunities on other Port property that further contribute to the 59
environmental and community benefits. 60
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3. Apply an equity and environmental justice lens to environmental land stewardship. 62
a. Prioritize areas identified by the Equity Index as having the greatest need for 63
stewardship actions to provide community benefits such as combatting heat 64
island effects and improving air quality, community resilience, recreational 65
opportunities and mental health. 66
b. In applying an equity lens, consider the historical and cultural value of the site and 67
its assets. 68
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In applying an equity lens, engage and consult community members to identify 69
their concerns. 70
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4. Support Community Partnerships and leverage inter-governmental coordination and 72
Port funds to catalyze stewardship processes and outcomes. 73
a. Prioritize expanding and supporting community-led environmental land 74
stewardship opportunities through grants and Port-sponsored events. 75
b. Actively support and participate in regional efforts and methodologies for 76
stewardship of trees, forest and other habitat. 77
c. Coordinate with local governments to conduct the Port’s stewardship activities 78
supportive of regional planning, including city and regional tree canopy goals and 79
initiatives. 80
d. Identify opportunities to connect and expand contiguous tree, forest and other 81
habitat across jurisdictions and property owners. 82
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Order No. 2023-10 – Environmental Land Stewardship Principles Page 3 of 4
5. Use a holistic approach to stewardship to ensure trees, forest, and other habitat are 84
healthy and self-sustaining. 85
a. Use a landscape-based approach to stewardship. The Port will use landscape-scale 86
inventory to broadly assess the extent and health of trees, forest, and other 87
habitat supplemented with site-based assessments as appropriate. This approach 88
supports informed decision-making for comprehensively stewarding tree, forest 89
and other habitat across all land uses. 90
b. Protect existing high-value resources and enhance impaired resources to support 91
current and future environmental and community benefits. Port operations and 92
development may disrupt trees, however, the Port will explore and prioritize 93
protection over removal and replacement, whenever possible. 94
c. Actively steward trees, forest and other habitat to ensure long-term viability to 95
preserve resources. 96
d. Emphasize replacing invasive species with diverse, native species to ensure 97
healthy and self-sustaining trees, forest and other habitat. 98
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Strategies in Support 100
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The Port shall implement the following strategies to build a strong and comprehensive 102
foundation for environmental land stewardship: 103
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1. Adopt Aviation (SEA) Land Stewardship Plan 105
Develop an Aviation (SEA) (Aviation) Land Stewardship Plan by Q4 2023. This plan will 106
recommend Aviation land stewardship goals and prioritized actions that integrate and 107
balance environmental land stewardship with airport operations, planning, and 108
development. 109
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2. Adopt Aviation (SEA) Tree Replacement Standards 111
Port-owned property is subject to tree replacement standards established by the local 112
jurisdictions in which the properties are located. Currently certain Port-owned property 113
within the SEA airport boundary is not subject to City of SeaTac tree replacement 114
standards. SEA tree replacement standards shall be adopted for property under the 115
airport building department jurisdiction pursuant to this Order and the Land Stewardship 116
Plan. 117
a. Develop and implement SEA tree replacement standards that meet or go beyond 118
the minimum regulatory requirements of our neighboring jurisdictions. 119
b. Ensure continued compliance with city, state, and federal development 120
standards for all operations and development activities. 121
c. Ensure development and other land use projects replace cleared trees and forest 122
and identify opportunities for additional types of beneficial habitat such as 123
pollinator meadows and wetlands. 124
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3. Integrate trees, forest, and other habitat stewardship into existing Maritime 128
programs. 129
Maritime currently has a robust program to expand trees, forest and other habitat to yield 130
substantial community as well as fish and wildlife habitat benefits, particularly for 131
endangered salmon and orcas. 132
a. Maritime shall continue to implement the Sustainable Shorelines Program and the 133
Multi-site Mitigation Banking Programs to create additional trees, forest and other 134
habitat. 135
b. Maritime shall continue to enhance and increase trees, forest, and other habitat 136
through maintenance at existing restoration sites and parks. 137
c. Maritime shall continue to seek innovative ways to support restoration of kelp 138
forests and eelgrass beds in collaboration with statewide recovery efforts. 139
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4. Sustainable Evaluation Framework Update 141
For Capital Improvement Projects subject to the Sustainable Evaluation Framework in 142
compliance to Resolution 3768, incorporate consideration of environmental land 143
stewardship into the evaluation framework, including documenting trees, forest and 144
other habitat as part of project evaluations. 145
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