Overview

Community Stewards will lead networks of active, engaged citizens in their communities to guide local decisions about accommodating future growth in a way that makes their communities even better places to live while helping to save the region’s farms, forests and natural areas from poorly planned development. 

Background

From Tacoma to Everett and Seattle to Ellensburg, our region is growing.  In the next 30 years, the population of the Puget Sound region will increase by almost one and half million people, many our own children and grandchildren. That’s like having the entire population of Portland move into the area, three times.

As residents of a fast-growing region, we can’t take our high quality of life for granted.  The splendor of our natural landscapes distinguishes this region, drawing businesses and talented employees who want to live and work here. We must create vibrant cities and towns to attract and retain families and jobs, and conserve the surrounding natural lands, working forests and farms that make this region special. By becoming involved and defining how we want our communities to grow and prosper, we can create great neighborhoods that shape the future of our built environment for generations to come.

Cascade Land Conservancy, Washington’s largest independent land conservation and stewardship organization, is responding to this challenge with The Cascade Agenda; a collective 100-year vision for conserving Washington's remarkable landscapes in the face of a growing population and a changing economic base.  The Cascade Agenda provides an innovative new approach to conservation that encourages collaboration across all sectors; balances environmental, social and economic needs; emphasizes the link between vibrant cities and healthy rural lands; and uses creative new ways to protect land on a scale never seen before. 

Community Stewards Program

To create these great communities, our region needs a network of vocal, well-informed citizens who are willing to speak out in favor of careful planning in our cities to provide choices for future generations. The Conservancy will provide Community Stewards with an organizational structure, communication tools including an online forum, and ongoing technical staff support and training.  Once trained and organized, Community Stewards will have the tools, abilities and support necessary to take action as issues arise, and successfully guide their local neighborhoods toward a complete, compact and connected future. The Conservancy also works with Community Stewards to support legislation or projects that match the goals of the Cascade Agenda.

The first Community Stewards program started in Tacoma with a “Taking Action Day” workshop attended by 70 citizens, and then a series of organizing meetings in which the community members identified and developed campaigns to improve their city’s livability and environment. The group worked to transform a neighborhood along transit oriented design principles and saved an important habitat corridor from being blocked. Members are currently working to create new community gardens in the city. 

The Community Stewards program aims to build active groups in our cities and towns and develop community leaders within the groups. To facilitate learning, we will bring the leaders together to share best practices and help each other work toward success throughout the region. The Washington Women’s Foundation awarded the program an $87,500 grant in June of 2009 to expand to nine other cities in the region over two years, starting with Issaquah.

How to get involved

Please contact us for more information about how to get involved with — or create — a Community Stewards network in your city.

Photo by Chris Walter