Port of Seattle Restores Habitat

The Port of Seattle is restoring 4.5 acres of habitat along the shoreline of Terminal 5, while getting closer to its goal of removing 90 percent of creosote pilings from its properties.

The 2,300 creosote pilings removed leave the port with around 8,000 remaining out of a total of 18,000 estimated in 2000.

“Restoring shoreline habitat and removing creosote pilings is a great way to return natural vitality to our ecosystem,” said Commissioner Fred Felleman. “The Port of Seattle is on track to remove thousands more creosote pilings by 2025.”

Creosote-treated pilings and timbers were used for more than 100 years throughout Puget Sound, as fundamental structural elements in marine cargo and transportation infrastructure. Present-day marine facility piers and docks have replaced creosote construction with inert steel and concrete pilings, and in many instances fender systems requiring no piling have been installed.

Since 1990, the port has created, restored or enhanced over 100 acres of fish and wildlife habitat in the Green-Duwamish River Watershed and Puget Sound. The port’s Century Agenda goal for habitat restoration includes the creation of 40 additional acres of fish and wildlife habitat in the Green-Duwamish River Watershed and Elliott Bay. The Port of Seattle currently has three large projects totaling 34 acres in the design/permitting process.

The port’s habitat restoration program, called the PORTfolio, is focused on innovation. The Port is involved in several research/pilot projects with the University of Washington, King County, and a Puget Sound Restoration Fund that will explore new ways to improve habitat. These include the “Floating Wetland Islands” project and Smith Cove Carbon Sequestration Pilot Study.