King County must balance the many interests of a diverse and rapidly growing community if it is to preserve its unique natural spaces. Since 1990, more than 250,000 people have moved into the county, many attracted to the water, mountains and forest. All of that is at risk as the population continues to climb. Keeping the ecosystem healthy and urban spaces livable will require frequent cooperation among parties with potentially conflicting interests: conservationists seeking to preserve and reclaim natural habitat, newcomers searching for housing, employers needing energy and space to expand, rural residents wishing to develop their own property or enjoy new shops and services, and farmers and tribes relying on natural spaces to feed themselves and make a living. All must find common cause, with the help of government and community organizations.
- Foster collaboration on environmental protection and development planning among activists, farmers, tribes, government, business and other stakeholders.
- Gather and disseminate environmental data to create models for collaborative decision-making.
- Support efforts that use incentive-based solutions to balance interests effectively.
- Communicate the environmental benefits of mixed residential and retail land use including centrally located, affordable housing.
- Promote cleaner sources of energy to accommodate more users with less harm to the environment.
- Support cleaner transportation options, and help make them more plentiful and convenient for commuters.
- Stewardship Partners is working with landowners throughout the Snoqualmie Valley to promote tools and resources that help maintain agriculture and open space as well as promote conservation and restoration efforts.
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Cascade Land Conservancy's Cascade Agenda brings together a vast array of constituencies to conserve more than 1.26 million acres of land and foster wise development over the next 100 years, using non-regulatory, market-based approaches and innovative mechanisms.
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Futurewise promotes managed growth that protects farmland, forests and shorelines through advocacy, public education and providing technical support to community groups.
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