• If you own property you are a steward of that land
• If you use public property you are one of many stewards of that land
• If you depend on natural resources (water, air) you contribute to and depend on sound stewardship principles

Everything we do, from planting a tree to not picking up pet waste (not you I hope) contributes to the balance sheet of land stewardship. As a manager of park land I work toward land stewardship for a variety of purposes. Many of our most visible acres are for active play; we manage ornamental plantings and thousands of shade trees planted in parks and along city streets; we remove garbage from parks, recycling where possible; we water park landscapes using the most advanced technology to maximize conservation.

All of this, every day, contributes to our efforts at good land stewardship. In addition we manage nearly 1200 acres of forested parkland, land we have begun to steward with the active involvement of volunteers to address the unique challenges of remnant forests in urban areas.

Forests within urban areas provide valuable environmental benefits. They intercept rain water, slowing the erosion of soils; they provide habitat for wildlife and they positively contribute to our local air quality. Urban forests also need our help. Non-native, invasive plant species are preventing the regeneration of tree seedlings. Without this regeneration the forests of today are not guaranteed for future generations. This is where the support of volunteers is needed.  The Green Redmond Partnership, a partnership between Cascade Land Conservancy and the City of Redmond, has developed a 20-year plan to bring every acre of forested parkland into active management.