An ecology group has dubbed the fledgling South Waterfront area as the city’s first "salmon-safe" neighborhood. Salmon-Safe, which aims to help salmon spawn and thrive in restored watersheds, bestowed the designation on the neighborhood because developers have vowed to protect the nearby Willamette River and its tributaries….

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An ecology group has dubbed the fledgling South Waterfront area as the city’s first “salmon-safe” neighborhood.

Salmon-Safe, which aims to help salmon spawn and thrive in restored watersheds, bestowed the designation on the neighborhood because developers have vowed to protect the nearby Willamette River and its tributaries.

The Portland group has now certified some 65,000 acres of farm and urban land as salmon-friendly. Other entities and areas earning the designation include the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Nike Inc., Portland State University, the Portland Parks Department, the Oregon Convention Center and Toyota at the Port of Portland.

Among other things, South Waterfront boosters have pledged to keep the area free of pesticides that are harmful to salmon and other aquatic life.

The group will formally announce the designation at Saturday’s Riverfest celebration. The award will be touted on advertising adorning 30 TriMet buses

“The neighborhood’s developers made a big commitment to environmental innovation with the first blocks developed,” said Dan Kent, Salmon-Safe managing director in a statement. “Now homeowners, with Salmon-Safe certification embedded in their covenants, will ensure that this stewardship commitment will be carried forward through future development phases and in the day-to-day operation of the neighborhood.”

Kent said the water flowing into the river from South Waterfront is as clean as if the nearby development hadn’t taken place. Developers such as Gerding-Edlen Development and Homer Williams have used bioswales and other stormwater management techniques to clean up the former industrial area.