Collaborating for conservation

Conservancy works with broader conservation community

The Nature Conservancy recognizes that it and its members are part of a broader community of organizations and individuals in Washington interested in conservation. In that spirit, the Conservancy and more than a dozen other organizations have been meeting regularly to discuss their own priorities and seek common ground. For example, these groups discuss ways they can collaborate during state legislative sessions for greater effectiveness, and have developed a concept called “Priorities for a Healthy Washington” (see below). These priorities represent current issues facing Washington that have broad ramifications for conservation and public health. They are endorsed and supported by the loose coalition of organizations, even as groups like the Conservancy continue to focus on their own missions and key issues. In addition, these organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, will coordinate occasional joint events to help interested citizens just like you get or stay involved (see the Conservation Action Calendar).

The conservation and environmental community identified the following priorities for the 2008 Washington state legislative session. Visit the Web site to the right to learn more and to get involved next session. Thanks!

• Climate Action and Green Jobs - This proposal will make the global warming pollution reduction goals adopted by the 2007 Legislature real by establishing authority and a schedule for the state to develop rules to implement the goals. The proposal will also provide accountability mechanisms for reaching the goals in other key features of state law and provide incentives for development of a state clean energy economy. Read more at at the Priorities for a Healthy Washington Web site.
  
   
• Local Soluntions to Global Warming - There is a powerful connection between global warming and irresponsible development. Acheiving carbon dioxide reduction goals will require effective groth management, especially in our state where transportation is the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions. This proposal would add a new goal and planning element to the Growth Management Act by identifying reducing global warming as an important aspect of comprehensive planning. Read more at at the Priorities for a Healthy Washington Web site.
  
   
• Local Farms, Healthy Kids - This proposal would help conserve farmland and improve kids' nutrition by using state purchasing power to get locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables into our school cafeterias. When local food systems are strengthened, farms are more economically viable, less energy is required to transport food over great distances and people from all economic classes have greater access to healthy, fresh foods. The proposal will increase school and institutional purchases from local farms by establishing a state "farm to school" program, removing statutory and infrastructure barriers, setting state goals for local purchasing and providing grants to schools with large populations of low income students. Read more at at the Priorities for a Healthy Washington Web site.
  
   
• Evergreen Cities - This priority recognizes the multiple benefits of urban forests. From Puget Sound to the Columbia River watershed, these benefits include improved water and air quality, urban hanitat for birds and salmon and wildlife, improved land use, improved human health, more livable cities, energy conservation, and greenhouse gas sequestration. This proposal would establish minimum urban/suburban forest goals for average canopy cover in both western and eastern Washington. It would establish incentives for planting trees in urban areas - including stressing native species - and would establish penalties for removing urban trees required to be retained by local governments. Read more at at the Priorities for a Healthy Washington Web site.
  
   

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