Natural Resources and Sustainability

In the mid-1990s, Maple Grove residents voted to purchase and protect what are now two city-owned high-quality forest preservation areas. However, the protections on these lands are not uniform or permanent. Entering them into a land trust would fulfill the intent of the voters for permanent protection, and I support getting this done, as it has been decades in the making. In 2013, the city council passed a resolution for Maple Grove to become a Minnesota Green Step City , an initiative several other nearby suburbs are taking up. We have remained at step two of five for a few years, as other cities have surpassed us on some of these goals. Being part of this initiative does not cost us anything, and utilizing its best practices can conserve money and energy. As we continue to develop, we should aim to responsibly manage storm water throughout the city, plant trees and native landscaping, promote sustainable building practices, increase our energy efficiency, and keep our water resources clean.