Social science

Find content related to subjects within the social and economic sciences, such as population dynamics, quality of life, fisheries, culture and history of the Puget Sound and Salish Sea ecosystems.

Overview

Social Science for the Salish Sea (S4) provides a foundation for future research projects, accessible information for planning or management decisions, and synthesized content to inform ecosystem recovery.

Salish Sea with Mt Baker in the background

Related Articles

The Suquamish Tribe, whose ancestors have lived in the region for approximately 10,000 years, has 950 enrolled members. About half of them live on the Port Madison reservation, established in 1855 by the treaty of Point Elliott.

Suquamish Tribe Area of Concern:

The tribe works mainly on the Kitsap Peninsula. Kitsap County is the third most densely populated county in Washington, and has no land zoned for agriculture. The hydrology is fairly unique, with groundwater recharge dependent solely on precipitation. Road construction and loss of forest habitat impact streams, and every Watershed Assessment Unit (WAU) within Kitsap County is either

The Stillaguamish Tribe is descended from the Stoluck-wa-mish River Tribe, who signed the treaty of Point Elliott in January 1855. Some tribal members moved to the Tulalip reservation, while others remained along the Stillaguamish River. The headquarters for the tribe are in Arlington, Washington.

Stillaguamish Area of Concern:

The Stillaguamish watershed is largely undeveloped, but population growth has put pressure on resources and salmon habitat. Continued loss and fragmentation of habitat is a primary concern, and protecting existing habitat is necessary for the survival of Chinook in the Stillaguamish. Salt marsh habitat, which provides feeding ground for outgoing juvenile Chinook

The Squaxin Island tribe is made up of several tribes from Squaxin Island and the surrounding inlets. Although no members of the tribe currently live on Squaxin Island year-round, it unites past and future generations and is still an important destination. The tribal headquarters are located in Kamilche.

Squaxin Island Area of Concern:

Nearly half of the nearshore habitat in south and central Puget Sound lies in WRIAs 12, 13, 14, and 15, where the Squaxin Island tribe concentrates restoration efforts. The South Sound also has some of the highest population growth in Washington State, which makes reclaiming habitat a

The Skokomish Tribe began as the Twana Indians, made up of nine communities living in and around the Hood Canal drainage basin.

Skokomish Area of Concern:

The tribe focuses restoration efforts in the Skokomish-Dosewallips basin (WRIA 16). Land use in this basin is concentrated along Hood Canal, since much of the remaining land falls under federal jurisdiction. Expanding development is a concern, especially as water demand increases. Aggressive timber harvesting in the last 15 years has left the watershed in need of serious restoration work. Both the Skokomish River and Hood Canal have elevated fecal coliform levels, which are partly

The original homeland of the Sauk-Suiattle tribe covered the entire drainage area of the Sauk, Suiattle, and Cascade rivers. A village of eight traditional cedar longhouses at Sauk Prairie was destroyed by settlers in 1884. From a tribe of 4,000 in 1855, numbers dropped until 1924, when only 18 members remained. Currently, the tribe has around 200 members.

Sauk-Suiattle Area of Concern:

The Sauk-Suiattle tribe is focused in the basins of the Sauk, Suiattle, Cascade, and Skagit rivers, in WRIAs 3 and 4. The restoration strategy in this region prioritizes large-scale restoration of fish habitat and protection of existing habitat

The Quinault Indian Nation includes the Quinault and Queets tribes, as well as descendants of five other coastal tribes. The tribe's headquartes are located in Taholah, Washington.

Quinault Area of Concern:

The Quinault Nation focuses their restoration efforts in the Chehalis River basin, one of the largest in Washington State. Over 81% of the land is forested, and most is privately owned. Population growth, timber harvest, and agriculture are a challenge to habitat restoration. A majority of watersheds in the region have greater than three miles of road per square mile of land, which impedes normal function of nearby streams