What is the Willamette Partnership?
In recent years a coalition of conservation, city, county, business, farm and scientific leaders called the Willamette Partnership has formed to increase the pace, scope and effectiveness of conservation in the Willamette Basin. The Partnership works with multiple stakeholders, helping to develop bold new market-driven tools to reduce the cost and conflict of compliance with regulations while delivering broader environmental benefits. The work of the Willamette Partnership has added to the understanding of water quality trading. The Partnership is actively exploring the development of ecosystem markets in the Willamette Basin. They have recently completed an EPA Targeted Watershed Grant that included the development of a framework for an ecosystem marketplace, credit trading and banking that meets specific TMDL objectives for reducing temperature in the Willamette River.
