About the Community Stewards Program
Community Stewards will lead a network of vocal, well-informed citizens who are willing to proactively speak out in favor of careful planning in our cities to provide choices for future generations.
Why the Community Stewards Program?
From Tacoma to Everett and Seattle to Ellensburg, our region is growing. In the next 20 years, the population of the Puget Sound region will increase by more than one million people, many our own children and grandchildren. That’s like having the entire population of Portland move into the area, twice.
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 jobs and families, and conserve the surrounding natural lands, working forests and farms we love. If we don’t work to shape this growth in a way that enhances our quality of life, we can expect more poorly planned growth consuming the landscapes that define our region. But if we seize this moment, we can shape the future for generations to come.
The Cascade Agenda
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.
To achieve this vision, our region needs a network of vocal, well-informed citizens who are willing to proactively speak out in favor of careful planning in our cities to provide choices for future generations; we need Community Stewards.
