Environmental Stewardship

In 2021, Council directed staff to work with the Parks and Natural Resources Commission to evaluate the past 20 years of environmental stewardship. Staff created an inventory of key accomplishments, events, projects, activities, programs, and policies and applied it to a timeline, representing the city’s leadership in addressing sustainability and environmental issues. 

Once complete, the Environmental Stewardship Report and Timeline were presented to City Council and the commission. The process showed that the city has made remarkable progress in preserving and enhancing the natural environment over the past 20 years, but what is missing is a Council-approved vision or action plan, outlining strategies to ensure sustainability and resilience into the future. As staff worked with the commission, significant community enthusiasm throughout the process was demonstrated by the amount of engaged residents at and commission and City Council meetings. 

The process identified that there is a unique opportunity now to harness regional and community enthusiasm, and to apply city resources to the Environmental Stewardship Strategic Initiative, to:

  • Memorialize the city’s status as a leader by developing an Environmental Stewardship Action Plan reflecting past and current initiatives
  • Identify actions that the city and community members can take to sustain and improve the natural environment
  • Foster community engagement aligned with the city’s public engagement plan
  • Engage interested parties in research to better understand the risks, rewards, and responsibilities for Woodbury
  • Develop specific goals and strategies that support sustainability and resilience into the future
  • Develop a prioritization guide that weighs potential to advance mitigation, adaptation and community equity strategies, including related risks and rewards
  • Better position Woodbury as a contender for resources such as grants and awards
  • Unite the city’s environmental programs, initiatives and responsibilities under a single vision, without competing for resources

To lead the way to protect our community, and meet the needs of future generations, the city established Environmental Stewardship as a 2022-2024 Strategic Initiative.