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Stewardship <br />Stewardship advances the Metropolitan Council's longstanding mission of <br />orderly and economical development by responsibly managing the region's <br />natural and financial resources and making strategic investments in our region's <br />future. Several of the major challenges that the Council was established to <br />address —such as an aging bus fleet and inadequately treated wastewater <br />polluting the region's lakes, rivers, and streams —demonstrate the need for <br />effective regional stewardship. Stewardship means: <br />• Responsibly managing of our region's finite resources, including natural <br />resources —such as lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, groundwater, high <br />quality natural habitats, and agricultural soils —financial resources, and our <br />existing investments in infrastructure; <br />• Pivoting from expanding to maintaining our region's wastewater and <br />highway infrastructure; <br />• Leveraging our infrastructure investments with higher expectations of land <br />use. <br />Responsibly managing finite natural resources <br />The region enjoys a bounty of natural resources including three major rivers, over 900 lakes, <br />extensive wetlands, native prairie, woodland habitats, and an abundant groundwater system. <br />These rich natural assets are part of our regional identity, enhancing our quality of life and <br />supporting a strong economy. Natural areas recharge our aquifers and clean stormwater runoff <br />and slow its flow, reducing flood damage and improving the quality of rivers, lakes, streams, <br />wetlands and groundwater. <br />Natural resources also provide a variety of benefits that would be costly to replace. Tree <br />canopies shade our buildings and absorb carbon dioxide and pollutants. Wetlands and upland <br />woods and prairies provide wildlife habitat and offer access to nature. Local research "confirms <br />that many types of open spaces, from parks and nature preserves to greenways, wetlands and <br />lakes, have a positive effect on nearby property values."1 <br />Nonetheless, challenges to the quality and extent of natural resources abound. Making natural <br />resources a key part of the planning and development process will help protect highly prized <br />natural features for current and future generations. Protecting and preserving the region's <br />natural resources for future generations have long been an important part of the Council's work. <br />The Council works to preserve natural resources by partnering with local governments on land <br />use planning, incorporating natural resources as a consideration in the Council's own planning <br />and infrastructure investment decisions, and planning and funding regional parks. The Council <br />uses its investments in the Regional Parks and Open Space System to conserve scarce natural <br />1 Wilder Research, The Economic Value of Open Space, 2005 <br />DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT <br />Last revised: February 21, 2014 9 <br />