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A Balance of Recreation and Conservation

Friday, May 29 | 10:30 - 11:20am
Location: Fuji Rooms 3-4

Speaker: David Stipe, LLA, and Hanne Beener, Project Groundwork 

Description:
How do a group of conservationists, recreationists and interested citizens find a balance between recreation and habitat conservation? They agree to meet in the middle. The Chelan Douglas Land Trust has been the stewards of the Wenatchee Foothills at various levels of involvement and scale since 1985. Since that time leaders in the preservation of important shrub steppe habitat have worked with recreation enthusiasts to provide appropriate recreation habitat with the intent of educating the public on the importance of preservation and the sensitivity of our arid ecosystem. Landscape Architects have played an important role in facilitation, planning, design and implementation of a strategy to strike a balance between recreation and conservation. The classroom session will provide an overview of the development of the various Wenatchee Foothills conservation and recreation plans along with a discussion about the lesson learned along the way.

Learning Objectives:
  • The role Landscape Architects can plan as facilitators, planners, designers and volunteer coordinators.
  • How Conservation Easements are structure and what limitations they create on the land ownerand easement holder.
  • The role of grass roots support on funding and development of recreation facilities.
HSW:

The welfare of a community is rooted in facilities that enrich individual lives and the community as a whole. The session will establish a connection between conservation, recreation and
physical/emotional well‐being of the entire citizenry.

Speaker Bio: David Stipe, LLA, Principal Landscape Architect, Project Groundwork

David has 25 years of experience in natural resource based recreation planning and design with a specific focus on trails. He has experience in site planning and design for large and small recreation projects, planning and public facilitation for trails, trail corridors and trail heads throughout the western United States. His experience also includes planning, design construction supervision and operation of metropolitan parks. David has worked on visual mitigation projects for public works projects and developed master plans for affordable housing neighborhoods with recreation and walkability as a focus. His capabilities include professional services contract and project management, planning and design, specifications, and construction supervision.

Co-Speaker Bio: Hanne Beener, Trails & Stewardship Coordinator, Project Groundwork

Hanne comes from rural northeastern Washington, but has called the Wenatchee Valley home since 2007. She graduated with a BA in Spanish and International Studies from the University of Idaho, but found herself drawn to managing and protecting our wildlands. Hanne worked for the U.S. Forest Service for 8 years, and also for the conservation organization, Conservation Northwest. She lives in Leavenworth, and enjoys backcountry skiing, mountain bike touring, and showing her pup all the great trail runs in the area.