Healthy Environment Initiative
The Healthy Environment Initiative is Seattle Parks and Recreation's commitment to mitigating climate change impacts, stewarding and protecting our urban forests and natural spaces, promoting environmental responsibility and environmental justice, and building resilient infrastructure.
Read our Healthy Environment posts on the Parkways Blog
SPR's Strategic Plan describes a Healthy Environment as:
- A thriving ecosystem where everyone has equitable use of, and responsibility for, public spaces
- A healthy urban forest that cleans the air and soil and serves as a natural sanctuary for people and wildlife
- Green infrastructure that builds resiliency by adapting to shifting weather patterns and sea level rise
- Community programming that instills knowledge about our ecosystem and connects residents to their natural environment
- Community stewards who care for the parks and recreation system and help SPR protect it for future generations utilizing best environmental practices
- A healthy ocean and marine environment that contributes to the health of the Seattle and Pacific Northwest ecosystem
Read about our 10 strategies to achieve a Healthy Environment in the 2020-2032 Strategic Plan.
Measuring Our Progress
Each year SPR publishes a report that summarizes some of the impact we had on creating a healthy environment, both qualitative and quantitative. 2021 saw many of the same challenges we faced during the pandemic, but also new growth from the possibilities we imagined during this time. Environmental Education programs began again, trees continue to be planted, fruit collected and shared, and drains and trees inspected. The good work continues. Read more in the 2021 Healthy Environment Impacts Report.
Read our 2021 Healthy Environment Impact Report
2020 Healthy Environment Impact Report