This publication summarizes two analyses prepared for the Washington State Conservation Commission and Washington Department of Ecology under a USEPA National Estuary Program grant focused on advancing riparian restoration in Puget Sound. The work explores the economics of incentive payments to private landowners, including compensation for participation costs and additional payments needed to encourage voluntary restoration. It synthesizes key economic, legal, and policy factors that influence participation and provides a practical toolbox to guide the design of locally tailored incentive programs. Rather than prescribing fixed payment rates, the report emphasizes accounting for regional differences in land values and restoration priorities, while considering public benefits such as salmon recovery, orca survival, and overall watershed health.
