Bird-watching-HabitatBank-05272014_2650-webDuring the May 29th regularly scheduled Board of Commissioners meeting, the port presented Habitat Bank, LLC with this year’s Environmental Stewardship Award.

The port selected Habitat Bank, LLC to receive the award because of the company’s proven leadership in developing mitigation banks in Washington State.

“At the Port of Vancouver, Habitat Bank, LLC created the first fully permitted mitigation bank in Clark County,” said Patty Boyden, port director of environmental services. “This bank has been the model in the preservation of natural resources from both an ecological and economic perspective.”

Habitat Bank, LLC owner, Victor Woodward, along with his wife Kathleen, his son Zachary and his daughter-in-law Jacqueline, accepted the award during the meeting.

“We’re very proud to be partners with the port,” said Victor Woodward. “We had a huge amount of support from the staff initially when we proposed this idea and from the commissioners agreeing to go forward with it. We were sort of pioneers in the state doing this and you all took a little risk working with us, and we sure appreciate it.”

Woodward mentioned that this project has become Habitat Bank’s most successful bank because of the regional benefit it provides not only for the port’s future mitigation needs, but also to satisfy requirements from local infrastructure projects that need mitigation in order to move forward efficiently and in a timely fashion.

“Based on the success we are having [from this project], we are looking at other banks in the Columbia River system to address wetlands and fish habitat,” said Woodward. “This recognition is very valuable for us. The public-private aspect of this partnership was groundbreaking in many ways and has become a good model for us moving forward.”

Following the award ceremony, Commissioners Wolfe, Baker and Oliver, the port’s environmental team and the Woodward family visited the mitigation bank located across the street from the port’s administrative offices. Blue herons, swallows and even a bald eagle soared overhead as the commissioners and Victor planted a white oak tree at the bank.