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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026 - NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD - WORK PLAN NRAB 2026 Work Plan The Natural Resources Advisory Board serves as an advisor to the Fort Collins City Council regarding sustainability policy and programs to achieve the goals and visionary "Big Moves" for Our Climate Future. This board advises on many aspects of community resilience and sustainability with a focus on water quality and availability for fish, wildlife and people, greenhouse gas mitigation, waste reduction and recycling, sustainable behavior change, and supporting the City's commitment to environmental justice. With an understanding that environmental processes (e.g., photosynthesis, the water cycle, etc.) are the building blocks of life and that human behaviors are leading to an expanding human footprint and accelerating climate change effects on our natural and social environments, the NRAB works to ensure the sustainability of the Fort Collins community. Utilizing the perspective that the natural environment provides life sustaining services, which is not exclusive to human life, the NRAB prioritizes sustaining ecosystem health and function, as well as building social resilience, to maximize positive systems-level impacts in our approaches and recommendations. The NRAB is particularly interested in and supportive of programs and initiatives that recognize: ● the interconnectedness of social and ecological systems and taking bold action to prioritize environmental health, ● the importance of identifying community vulnerabilities and implementing approaches to increase the capacity to adapt to change, ● and that inequity acts as a driver of climate change. To address these priorities, the NRAB will also collaborate with other boards by actively engaging in joint board initiatives to encourage the goals of high functioning government and high impact civic engagement as they pertain to the natural resource management challenges and opportunities faced by the community. Regarding those challenges and opportunities, NRAB has identified the following areas of specific interest in 2026, with an overall view of integrating the principles of sustainability in each target area: ● City Planning ○ 2024-25 City Council Priority #8: Advance a 15-minute city by accelerating our shift to active modes ○ OCF Big Move: Live, Work and Play Nearby ○ Nature in the City ○ Land Use Code Updates - Phase 2 ● Climate Change and Sustainability ○ 2024-25 City Council Priority #6: Reduce climate pollution and air pollution through best practices, emphasizing electrification ○ OCF Big Move: Climate Resilient Community ○ OCF Big Move: Electric Cars and Fleets ○ OCF Big Move: Efficient, Emissions Free Buildings ○ OCF Big Move: 100% Renewable Electricity ○ OCF Big Move: Local, Affordable and Healthy Food ○ Urban Agriculture Promotion ○ Elevating Fort Collins’ voice in the state and federal policy conversation ● Equity and Environmental Justice ○ Public Health 2 ○ Oil and Gas / Well Abandonment and Remediation ○ Issues of Access ● Waste Reduction and Recycling ○ 2024-25 City Council Priority #5: Accelerate zero waste infrastructure and policies ○ OCF Big Move: Zero Waste Economy ○ OCF Big Move: Zero Waste Neighborhoods ○ Circular Economy ○ Regional Wasteshed Matters ● Water Resources and Quality ○ 2024-25 City Council Priority #7: Protect community water systems in an integrated way to ensure resilient water resources and healthy watersheds ○ Halligan Reservoir ○ River Health Assessment ○ Water Efficiency Plan ● Wildlife and Forestry ○ OCF Big Move: Healthy Natural Spaces ○ Resilient Urban Forest ○ Night Sky Protection and Outdoor Lighting Requirements ○ Native Insect & Pollinator Habitat Conservation ○ Impact of City Projects on Natural World ○ Noise Pollution