The Cascade Agenda: A New Model for Land Conservation Northcoast Regional Land Trust May 23, 2008

1. The Cascade Agenda: A New Model for Land Conservation Northcoast Regional Land Trust May 23, 2008 John Howell Board Member Cascade Land Conservancy

2. Our Region’s Roots Farming, forestry and fishing have defined this region for over 100 years.

3. Strong Connections to the Land Strong cultural and historical tie between community and land has created respect and admiration for our natural landscapes.

4. Today’s Economy • 1.5 million jobs in five-county region Diversified economic base for three western counties: • Manufacturing (Boeing) • High tech industries (Microsoft, Real Networks, bio tech) • Services (Nordstrom, Starbucks) • International trade (Ports of Seattle, Tacoma and Everett) • Tourism (travel to Northwest locations, Alaska, Asia) • Forest products (Weyerhaeuser) Economic base for Kittitas County: • Government (Central Washington University) • Agriculture (Timothy hay, cereal grain, livestock) • Natural resource extraction (timber and mining)

5. Government • 369 municipalities, ports and taxing districts • 86 cities and towns • 60 school districts • 6 universities and colleges; 12 community colleges

6. About the Cascade Land Conservancy • Established in 1989 • Operates in five counties • 50 staff • Net Worth: ~$30M – including protected lands Mission To protect our region's wild and open space lands to sustain the natural beauty and health of the environment, now and for generations to come.

7. Conservation Transactions Conserved nearly 150,000 acres relying on market based strategies.

8. Organization Our Scope… ConservationTransactions

9. DIALOGUES

10. The Cascade Dialogues Approach • Looking back • Celebrating the legacy of the 100 year old Olmstead Plan • Looking long • 100 years forward… • Thinking broad • Sustain a strong regional economy • Promote livable communities • Ensure healthy ecosystems

11. The Cascade Dialogues Approach: Creating a Big Tent A broad coalition of: • Business leaders • Tribal leaders • Government representatives • Environmental advocates • Community stakeholders • Civic leaders

12. The Cascade Dialogues Approach Public Involvement • Conversations with 3,500 stakeholders • Involvement of 460 classrooms • Technical working groups with more than 150 scientists, economists and practitioners Elected Leadership • Engagement of over 100 municipalities and governmental entities Steering Committee • 50 civic, business, and environmental leaders The Cascade Dialogues

13. Our Challenge • Region’s population could double in a century: Increasing by as much as 3.5 million or 6 Seattles • The growth will occur in a changing world

14. Our Greatest Challenge We are at a critical moment – growth puts pressures on our limited land base Do we want to be LA?

15. Kittitas County Pierce County Tacoma King County Seattle Snohomish County Everett Current Land Use

16. Kittitas County Pierce County Tacoma King County Seattle Snohomish County Everett 2100 FUTURE if Built-out at Current Densities

17. Kittitas County Pierce County Tacoma King County Seattle Snohomish County Everett 2100 “Planning” FUTURE

18. Tacoma Puget Sound Puyallup River Prime Farmland Pierce County Farmland Today

19. Tacoma Puget Sound Puyallup River Prime Farmland? Pierce County Built Out to Current Zoning

20. Tacoma Puget Sound Puyallup River Risk if Farming Goes Away

21. The Cascade Agenda Enhancing our communities and natural surroundings that make the Pacific Northwest the best place to live.

22. The Cascade Agenda Approach • A 100 year vision that will inspire • A 100 year plan with strategies to achieve that vision Cascades that inspire us: • High mountains • Foothills Waters that sustain us: • Nearshore and estuary • Riparian and watershed Communities that define us: • Farms • Recreation Built Environment

23. Cascades that inspire us • High mountains • Foothills

24. Cascades: Goals • Conserve 93% of private working forests: 777,000 acres • Preserve additional 5%: 48,000 acres • Maintain Public Forest: 2.3 million acres • Retain all Preserve lands • Retain most Timber lands • Shift 2% to Preserve status • Provide sufficient timber to support several mills • Land area could produce ~300-350 mmbf annually

25. Communities that define us • Farms • Recreation

26. Farms: Goals • Conserve 85% of current agricultural land • Westside: 106,000 acres • Kittitas: 200,000 acres • Support Farm Economy • Increase consumption of local produce to 5% • Provide adequate, consistent supply of water

27. Recreation: Goals • Urban Parks • Park within ½ mile walk of all residents • Keep pace with population – add 30,000 acres over next century • Regional Destination Parks • Maintain today’s quality of experience – add 82,500 acres over next century • Cascades • Maintain public recreation lands • Increase recreation on current lands Parks in Walking Distance, King County

28. Waters that sustain us • Watersheds • Riparian Corridors • Saltwater Shoreline • Estuaries

29. Waters: Goals • Watershed-wide Guidelines: Limit impervious surfaces to 15% -30% with design/technology enhancement • Rivers and Streams To be determined by WRIAs, estimate: • Cascades: 5,000 acres • Rural: 14,000 acres • Urban: 406 acres • Shorelines and EstuariesBased on 30% of original habitat: • Saltwater: 8,800 acres • Estuaries: 4,800 acres 74%

30. The Built Environment • Our Communities

31. Make our cities and towns vibrant, attractive places to live and work • Create incentives for development and business • Ensure plentiful parks and trails • Provide essential infrastructure

32. Maintain rural values • Foster opportunities to both live and work in rural areas • Grow and support local economies • Conserve our landscapes • Provide housing choices without sprawl

33. The Cascade Agenda Outcomes Turning Challenge into Opportunity • Saving our landscapes for the next century • 1 million acres private working forests and farms • 265,000 acres parks, natural areas and shorelines • Sustaining Communities for the next century • Maintaining a rural community • Grow and support local economies • Conserve our watersheds, habitat and resource lands • Provide housing choices without sprawl • Transforming our cities and revitalizing our towns • Create vibrant compact, livable communities • Provide plentiful, well-cared for parks

34. The Bottom Line: Conserve 1.3M acres worth ~$7B The Cascade Agenda Outcomes

35. Strong and favorable reaction…

36. IMPLEMENTATION

37. Cascade Agenda Implementation Product Groups – Example: Innovative Financing Group Coalition Business Civic Groups Elected Officials Environmental Government Tribal Faith-based Labor Youth Education Service Groups – Example:Federal Legislative Agenda Leadership Team Discourse Topics - Example: Urban Lands: Part of the Solution Partner Efforts – Example: Prosperity Partnership

38. Leadership Team Stone GossardPearl Jam Denis Hayes, President and CEO, The Bullitt Foundation Ada Healey, VP of Real Estate, Vulcan Inc. John Howell, Partner, Cedar River Group Sally Jewell, President and CEO, REI Gerry Johnson, Partner, K&L Gates Kate Joncas, President, Downtown Seattle Assoc. Ron JuddPublic Policy Advisor Martha Kongsgaard, President, Kongsgaard Goldman Foundation Doris Koo, President and CEOEnterprise Foundation Steve Leahy, President and CEO, Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce Jerilyn McIntyre, President Central Washington University J. M. Allen, Managing Member, Allen & Company, LLC Sam Anderson, Executive Officer, Master Builders Assoc. Charley Bingham, Former ExecutiveWeyerhaeuser Bruce Blume, Chairman and CEO, The Blume Company Phyllis Campbell, President, The Seattle Foundation Bob Drewel, FormerSnohomish County Executive Gene Duvernoy, President, Cascade Land Conservancy Larry Edwards, VP of Site Services, The Boeing Company Billy FrankNorthwest Indian Fisheries Commission Dr. Jerry Franklin, Program Director, UW College of Forest Resources Mimi Gates, DirectorSeattle Art Museum Jay GordonWA State Dairy Federation Ken MillerWA Farm Forestry Association Colin Moseley, Chairman and President, Green Diamond Resource Co. Steve Reynolds, Chairman and CEO, Puget Sound Energy Norman RiceFormer Mayor of Seattle John Rindlaub, CEO, Wells Fargo, NW Region Charles Royer Former Mayor of Seattle Bill Ruckelshaus, Former EPA Administrator Bob Santos, Former Regional Director Dept. of Housing and Urban Development DeLee Shoemaker, State Government Affairs ManagerMicrosoft Corporation Maryanne Tagney Jones, Chair, Cascade Land Conservancy David Thorud, Dean Emeritus, UW College of Forest Resources Craig Ueland, President and CEO, Russell Investment Group

39. Cascade Agenda Work Flow Leadership Team Guidance & Support Staff Management: 7 Priorities Consultant services Stakeholder Input Deliver New Policy or Tool

40. Cascade Agenda, The Campaign $20 million

41. Transfer of Development Rights Development Rights Development rights severed from property with conservation easement Receiving Area Sending Area Funding for resource land protection

42. Conservation Villages Images complements of: Existing Landscape

43. Conservation Villages Typical Development Images complements of:

44. Conservation Villages Density Transferred to Conservation Village Images complements of:

45. Creating great communities

46. Urban Parks Threatened

47. LESSONS LEARNED

48. Lessons Learned • Citizens and funders are hungry for long-term (100 year) vision. • 100 year planning horizon brought people together (i.e. developers and enviros). • Creating “alternative futures” helped people grasp concept of choices. • Essential to create a “big tent” supporting the plan. • Buy-in from experts (i.e. scientists and users/managers of land) was critical. • Non-governmental organization as sponsor improved credibility.

49. Lessons Learned • Combination of broad vision and detailed strategies, helped respond to • “Where’s the beef?” • Market-based strategies (non-regulatory) key to broad appeal. • Some strategies may take a generation or more to achieve. • CLC has had to drive implementation • Three years later the vision still has power – e.g. capital campaign success

50. Thank you