FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Green Tacoma Partnership targets 2,700 acres for restoration

Standing amid one of Tacoma’s oldest parks, a group of civic, business, neighborhood and environmental leaders will launch on Monday the Green Tacoma Partnership, a program to restore as many as 2,700 acres of parks and natural space throughout the city of Tacoma.

The partnership will bring together the Citizens of Tacoma, the City of Tacoma, Metro Parks Tacoma, the Cascade Land Conservancy, Tahoma Audubon Society and the Pierce Conservation District, plus leaders from the educational and business community and neighborhood and environmental groups.

“This is a great beginning for a significant effort,” said Tacoma Mayor Bill Baarsma, “It is great to see so many of our friends from all aspects of Tacoma’s diverse community gathered here to demonstrates a commitment to our community, natural areas, neighborhoods and our quality of life.”

Nearly two dozen individuals, groups and organizations are members of the Partnership.

The problem in Tacoma, as elsewhere, is the spread of invasive species such as English ivy, blackberry, laurel and holly, which are preventing native species from regenerating. Without a concerted restoration effort, the City of Tacoma’s natural areas will lose significant habitat and biodiversity within the next 20 years

The Green Tacoma Partnership will work with the City and Metro Parks to develop and implement a 20-year Open Space Habitat Plan to manage natural area and open space acquisition, restoration and maintenance and to promote community-based stewardship.

Tacoma has a considerable wealth of open spaces which are maintained as natural areas for wildlife habitat and citizen recreation.  Historically these areas were acquired by multiple agencies, but have not been actively maintained as municipal assets, with the mindset to “leave nature to take care of itself”.

Recent research of urban habitat lands throughout the Puget Sound region has demonstrated that urban natural areas are experiencing a rapid decline in habitat quality and green infrastructure functions.

The kickoff event will be held at McKinley Park. A new master plan has been developed for the park which received $1.66 million in voter approved bond funding for park restoration. The capital funding complements the efforts of the Friends of McKinley Park, the Eastside Neighborhood Council and other community volunteers who began caring for the park as Metro Parks Chip-In! partners in 2003.  Together, these groups have been the leaders in restoring McKinley Park to its once prominent status as one of Tacoma’s central parks.  Their accomplishments are numerous. They have removed invasive species, replanted natives like salal and sword fern, restored the playground and removed overgrown brush to increase visibility and deter illicit activities.

“We are taking steps to protect our investment in the community,” said Aaron Pointer of Metro Parks Tacoma.  “We will work to help the community step up to the challenge of restoring our parks and open spaces.”  Through the Metro Parks Chip-In! program, the Park District has fostered partnerships with area businesses, community groups and civic organizations that have logged an estimated 20,000+ volunteer hours restoring greenspaces since the program’s inception in 2003.

Metro Parks’ recently adopted Strategic Plan spells out the agency’s commitment to environmental stewardship, which is evident in the District’s current $84 million Park Improvement Bond. The bond includes $7 million for trail improvements, urban reforestation, greenspace acquisition and enhancements to lakes and streams, as well as improvements to the Tacoma Nature Center, Northwest Trek and Swan Creek.

Ryan Dicks, Vice President for Conservation at the Cascade Land Conservancy, praised the collaborative effort being created to make the partnership a reality.  “The Cascade Land Conservancy is committed to bringing its expertise to the benefit of the citizens of Tacoma,” Dicks said.  “We are looking forward to working with the partnership to restore Tacoma’s open and natural areas and acquire more critical lands for the public good.”

Dicks also said the partnership is an excellent example of the principles of The Cascade Agenda – the visionary program that links significant conservation with livable cities.  “We cannot do the level of conservation we want on working forests and farms unless we have vibrant cities that attract residents,” said Dicks.  “The revitalization of Tacoma is a wonderful example of a city that is doing just that, acting as a magnet for growth.”

McKinley Park and the effort to improve all Tacoma’s parks are gaining attention in many areas.  For example, the University of Puget Sound currently is currently offering a senior seminar in Environmental Studies that takes a serious academic look at the value of open space in cities, using Tacoma and places like McKinley Park as real-life laboratories.

In April, Tacoma, under the leadership of Mayor Baarsma and several members of the city council, voted to join the efforts to curb global warming.  Baarsma and the council called for the reduction of greenhouse gases and encouraging the continued growth and development of clean technology businesses in Tacoma.

Mayor Baarsma said such efforts as the Green Tacoma Partnership are a significant move in the direction of the efforts of cities to do something about global warming under the Kyoto Protocols.

Trees are excellent at taking carbon out of the air, one of the major causes of global warming.  In addition, trees and open space excel at retaining storm water, reducing the need for expensive storm water treatment facilities.

###