Trees and other plants soften the impact of falling rain that can erode soil, silting rivers and streams where salmon spawn. Their roots hold the banks in place during floods while their leaves and branches shade and cool the stream. Almost all wildlife depends on the riparian zone for survival during some part of their lives as they eat, drink, nest and hide near waterways. Wetlands - Floodwaters are slowed and stored in wetlands and then slowly released after heavy rains and snowfall. Wetland plants help clean water by trapping silt and filtering out pollutants.
Wetlands are essential homes for fish, frogs, birds and many other animals.
Estuaries - Fresh and salt water mix where rivers empty into Puget Sound and form estuaries. Estuaries are critical habitat for young salmon on their way to sea as well as a nursery-ground for many other young fish. Migratory birds depend on estuaries as resting and feeding areas and many other species live and reproduce there also. Early Puget Sound native cultures found almost all that they needed in the rivers, streams and forests. They fished, hunted and foraged for food.