Scott Chase | Plant Wisely

What's your connection to the land?

As coordinator for the Shore Stewards program, I help members adopt practices that minimize the amount of harmful runoff that reaches Puget Sound. I also educate them on what whey can do and plant to minimize erosion along their shoreline or bluff. 



What actions have you taken as a steward that you're most proud of and/or that you feel have made the biggest difference?

Have held workshops and classes that enlighten people on what they can plant to minimize shoreline and bluff erosion, adopt low impact development (including rain barrels and rain gardens), use non-toxic household and outdoor cleaners, and help keep Puget Sound healthy. Have also helped create an award-winning regional website to promote those practices, and have written over 100 newsletters since 2004 to educate landowners on how to be better stewards. 


What’s your hope for the next 75 years? (or) What advice do you have for those next 75 years?

I hope that with so many people moving to the Puget Sound region, and the inevitable development of currently forested and natural areas to accommodate the millions of new residents over the next 75 years, municipalities and governments will encourage and reward development that retains as much undeveloped habitat as possible, and requires low impact development (LID) practices to minimize toxins that flow into lakes, rivers, and Puget Sound. 


Who are you?   

  • Name: Scott Chase, Coordinator for WSU Shore Stewards in Island County
  • Where is home? Camano Island
  • Where are you from? Moved from Seattle in 2000.