Developed in partnership with the city of Portland with the collaboration of many other Northwest municipalities, the Salmon-Safe park and natural area initiative is a system-wide approach that relies on a comprehensive evaluation of a land management agency's overall management policies and planning related to habitat and water quality protection.

Download the Salmon-Safe Park & Natural Area Standards

Salmon-Safe certification begins with an assessment of management issues including irrigation efficiency, stormwater management, pesticide reduction, conservation of native biodiversity, and streamside and wetlands area management. System-wide evaluation of municipal or other public park systems is backed by rigorous assessment of individual sites to evaluate whether management is consistent with best management practices for avoiding harm to stream ecosystems.

Salmon-Safe also evaluates the extent to which existing park design and infrastructure protect and restore aquatic ecosystems within the context of park department goals of maintaining parks for public use and provision of recreational opportunities. Salmon-Safe assessment is conducted by a 3-person expert team.

Salmon-Safe urban certification is valid for five years, subject to annual evaluation that includes an overview of system-wide performance focusing on any significant alterations in management objectives and practices that could affect the continued validity of certification.