On March 29th, 2017, about one hundred participants spanning academia, nonprofits, government, health, funders, business, and community-based organizations gathered for a day-long convening to explore how a more robust and strategic regional collaboration among public and private partners c
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Regional Challenges: BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE CHANGE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN HEALTH, SOCIAL EQUITY
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By Sarah Titcomb
(Fighting a wildfire near Chelan, WA. Wildfires and droughts are expected to become more common due to rising temperatures from climate change. Photo Source: Ben Brooks from Fife, WA)
Filed under: DISASTER MITIGATION, ENERGY, WORKRegional Challenges: CLIMATE CHANGE -
By Sarah Titcomb
Regional Challenges: BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE CHANGE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN HEALTH, SOCIAL EQUITY -
By Rachel Gregg
Regional Challenges: CLIMATE CHANGE -
By Matt Chadsey
Anyone who lives in the Central Puget Sound Region can recognize that the open space around us has value. The mountains -- even just the views of them -- rivers, parks, and working lands provide benefits. However, quantifying those benefits is hard. What is the value of a rushing river, or the shade provided by a street tree on a sunny day, or a salt marsh, or wetland during a storm?
Filed under: AIR, DISASTER MITIGATION, HEALTH, WATERRegional Challenges: BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE CHANGE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN HEALTH -
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Matt Chadsey, Project Leader, Earth Economics
Regional Challenges: BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE CHANGE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN HEALTH -
In February, I spoke at the School of Community and Regional Planning (SCARP) Symposium at the University of British Columbia (UBC) on Planning for Resilience in the Pacific Northwest. I organized my remarks around five core principles for planning and managing land and water that I believe can help move us toward more resilient urban regions. Those actively participating in the Regional Open Space Strategy (ROSS) may find these principles familiar, they guide our process. We believe that planning with these principles will lead to a truly resilient urban region.
Filed under: DISASTER MITIGATION, WATERRegional Challenges: BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE CHANGE -
Not only is our team joining the 2015 National APA Conference, we are excited to share that several of our partners and friends will be in attendance! Sunday morning will kick off with the opening keynote speech from Ron Sims, the Chair of the ROSS Executive Committee. We look forward to hearing his current perspective on sustainability and health - and we plan to arrive early to ensure we get a seat! The day begins at 8am on April 19th at the Washington State Convention Center.
Continue reading for the list of our other committee and task force members presenting or participating on panels during conference sessions.
Filed under: EDUCATIONRegional Challenges: BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE CHANGE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN HEALTH, SOCIAL EQUITY -
The American Planning Association's Annual National Conference is coming to Seattle this weekend and the ROSS team is excited to participate! Several of us will be in attendance and our very own Nancy Rottle from the University of Washington’s Green Futures Research and Design Lab will present the ROSS project to the planning community. Steve Whitney from the Bullitt Foundation, who provides leadership for the ROSS, organized and will moderate this session. Read more to learn about the session and our co-presenters from the Intertwine Alliance and the Georgia Strait Alliance.
We look forward to seeing other the conference attendees there!
Filed under: EDUCATIONRegional Challenges: BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE CHANGE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN HEALTH, SOCIAL EQUITY -
It is a well-established fact that Washingtonians love our great outdoors. In the Summer, we flock to Paradise on Mount Rainier for idyllic adventures, drive out to Granite Falls to ride on horseback, or hop on our bikes to enjoy our regional trail network. During the Winter, many of us head for the hills with our snowboards, sleds, skis, and snowshoes with dreams of fresh powder. But sadly, warm temperatures and low snowpack has kept most of that winter equipment in the garage this year. Read more to find out why this matters to the ROSS.
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This winter was short, mild, and left many mountains bare that are normally snow-capped. In response to these conditions and the potential impact on water resources, Governor Jay Inslee declared drought in three regions across Washington State last month: the north Olympic Peninsula, a large region east of the Cascades, and the area around Walla Walla.
Continue reading for the ROSS take on the current drought and a discussion on conditions in our region's watersheds.
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The Kitsap Forest & Bay Project is a landscape-level effort to conserve up to 6,700 acres of forest, wetlands and shoreline surrounding Port Gamble Bay in north Kitsap County. The Project is a once-in-history opportunity to help sustain our region's quality of life, environmental health, and economic vitality. It has the potential to shape the future of the entire Kitsap Peninsula and has been championed by a broad coalition of partners including Kitsap County, Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, Suquamish Tribe, Great Peninsula Conservancy, Forterra, Pope Resources and the community at large.
Regional Challenges: BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE CHANGE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN HEALTH, SOCIAL EQUITY -
Did you know the 8th Annual South Sound Sustainability Expo is happening this weekend? This event is a great opportunity to connect with private and public organizations whose work support environmentally sustainable practices. Learn more about the event here.
Regional Challenges: CLIMATE CHANGE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN HEALTH -
We highly recommend you read this thoughtful – and visually stunning – article about the impact of climate change on our beloved Mt. Rainier. From glacier melt to habitat shifts, the challenges of data prediction to the tension between human intervention, policy and practice, this article reveals the complexity of a changing climate on an iconic landscape.
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At our recent ROSS Project Leadership Team meeting we asked our participating partners what the most important developments in open space have been for their organizations in 2014 and what they are looking forward to in 2015. We were excited and inspired by the great strides that have been made to protect and enhance open space in the Central Puget Sound and beyond over the last year. We know that the efforts mentioned are just the tip of the iceberg for these organizations and the region. While there is much more work to do to ensure and protect open space, we are delighted to celebrate these great achievements and look towards the future. Join us!
Regional Challenges: BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE CHANGE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN HEALTH, SOCIAL EQUITY -
Have you seen this inspiring video from Green Duwamish/Central Puget Sound's Salmon Conservation and Restoration efforts? Watch "Green the Green" and be prepared to tap some deep local pride in this incredible green landscape we call home. A celebration of our open space benefits and a beautiful, compelling call to action, this 3 minute video reminds us of the important efforts we must invest in to clean and protect our watershed to maintain our rich cultural and natural heritage.
Regional Challenges: BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE CHANGE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN HEALTH, SOCIAL EQUITY -
The ROSS team is growing! With our great partnership with King County on the Green-Duwamish Watershed Strategy and upcoming launch of a Snohomish Watershed Open Space Strategy, we seek talented staff to lead and support this visionary, collaborative effort.
Filed under: WORKRegional Challenges: BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE CHANGE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN HEALTH, SOCIAL EQUITY -
We are delighted to share the great efforts of the Mountains to Sound Greenway, Stewardship Partners and their Snoqualmie Valley partners for their visionary planning in the watershed. This beautiful "report card" reflects the thoughtful work they are doing to create a robust watershed plan to protect and enhance their forests, farms and rural lands that make up 96% of their land and provide essential ecosystem services for the entire Puget Sound region.
Filed under: AESTHETIC, AIR, COMMUNITY, CULTURAL, DISASTER MITIGATION, EDUCATION, FOOD, MATERIALS, PLAY, SHELTER, TRANSPORT, WATER, WORKRegional Challenges: BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE CHANGE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN HEALTH, SOCIAL EQUITY -
Issues like open space planning and salmon spawning don't often find their way onto late-night comedy programs. Frankly, we'll admit, we take the work we do pretty seriously. But when we saw this on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, we knew we had to take a moment to share it with our friends and colleagues. We hope you enjoy the video as much as we did.
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It has been a busy summer for us here at the ROSS. Not only have we been hard at work on our open space services work and entering into an agreement with King County and the City of Seattle for the Green-Duwamish WOSS you may have read about earlier this month, we’ve also been developing a new website.
Filed under: AESTHETIC, AIR, COMMUNITY, CULTURAL, DISASTER MITIGATION, EDUCATION, ENERGY, FOOD, HEALTH, MATERIALS, PLAY, SHELTER, TRANSPORT, WASTE, WATER, WORKRegional Challenges: BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE CHANGE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN HEALTH, SOCIAL EQUITY -
Monday, September 9, marked a seminal moment in open space planning, as King County and the City of Seattle, in the presence of community groups, natural resource agencies and local news media, announced plans to develop a Green/Duwamish Watershed Strategy.
Filed under: AESTHETIC, AIR, COMMUNITY, CULTURAL, DISASTER MITIGATION, EDUCATION, ENERGY, FOOD, HEALTH, MATERIALS, PLAY, SHELTER, TRANSPORT, WASTE, WATER, WORKRegional Challenges: BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE CHANGE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN HEALTH, SOCIAL EQUITY -
We’re excited to share news of a new partnership with The Trust for Public Land. Our Ecosystem Services Committee and ROSS staff will be working with their award-winning GIS team and Climate Conservation Program to explore how to map our region-wide open space system as well as identify and assess areas where open space can address key regional challenges.
Filed under: EDUCATIONRegional Challenges: BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE CHANGE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN HEALTH, SOCIAL EQUITY -
The Bullitt Foundation and The Russell Family Foundation have once again stepped up to support the ROSS Initiative. The work focuses on two primary tracks:
Filed under: EDUCATIONRegional Challenges: BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE CHANGE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN HEALTH, SOCIAL EQUITY