Assessing the Benefits and Vulnerability of Current and Future Potential Ecosystem Services of the Nisqually River Delta and other Puget Sound Estuaries

The Nisqually River Delta represents the largest wetland restoration in the Pacific Northwest. The restoration resulted in a 50% increase in potential salt marsh habitat. The Delta supports threatened salmon fisheries, large populations of migratory birds, and provides unique opportunities for recreation. The Delta also provides multiple ecosystem services, which are the benefits that wildlife or ecosystems provide to people. Development and changing climate patterns threaten to alter the Delta and the ecosystem services it provides. This study aims to quantify the value of existing and potential future ecosystem services from the Delta and provide insight into the vulnerability of the mosaic of habitats that support these services [...]