Environment Issue Update:
VAN Supports Environment Leaders in Developing
Environmental Benchmarks For Washington County
June 2003

Under the auspices of the Vision Action Network, environment issue leaders continue to meet to identify opportunities for future collaboration. Their work is based on the following five principles developed during the VisionWest issue identification process:

1. Interconnected, accessible, diverse network of green spaces, parks and habitat areas should be developed and expanded.
2. Plentiful and clean groundwater and surface water should be maintained and protected in the region.
3. Pollution in all its forms - air, water, noise, light and visual - should be curtailed.
4. Transportation systems and development patterns that reduce reliance on automobiles and increase alternative modes should be promoted.
5. Farms, forests and natural lands should be maintained in a mix of land uses to support the social, economic and environmental health of the county.

Future Strategies

During the summer and fall of 2003 VAN will support members of the Environment Issue Team in developing a process to create environmental benchmarks for Washington County. Benchmarks, such as the ones developed by the Oregon Progress Board, are used for a broad array or policymaking and budget related activities. Oregon state agencies are required to link their performance measures to them. Student achievement benchmarks are the cornerstone of Oregon’s education reform initiative. In the area of the environment, County governments and community organizations frequently use benchmarks to gauge their progress in the five priority areas listed above.

VAN is also supporting a group of environmental education leaders who met at a "Natural Resource and Environmental Education Summit", that was held at the NW Regional Education Service District office on February 11.The purpose of this meeting was to bring together members of the VisionWest Environment Issue Team and Environmental Education leaders from a diverse group of schools and environmental organizations in order to explore opportunities for collaboration around environmental education programs in Washington County.

Strategies identified at the Summit included:

• Address the elimination of outdoor education programs in public schools.
• Build an outdoor environmental education site
• Create an alternative high school (charter school) that focuses on environmental education
• Increase public/private partnerships around education programs
• Identify educational needs and match the needs with existing resources
• Create a clearinghouse or resource base for environmental education in Washington County

Organizations represented at the Summit included:

For more information about opportunities for collaboration in environmental education, contact the Vision Action Network (503-846-5792) or Gary Myers at the NWRESD (614-1405).

Environment Issue Update (12KB, RTF)