Community Access and Impact

Washington Geological Survey Staff sitting on a rock
Washington Geological Survey staff presenting information to staff at the summit lookout of Green Mountain.

Commissioner's Statement

Dave Upthegrove portrait taken in front of the Natural Resource building. in Olympia.

Washington state strives to be a leader in advancing equity for all. In 2022, Governor Executive Order 22-04 directed state agencies to develop a strategic plan, under the guidance of the state Office of Equity, to create a unified vision of equity in state government.

Since that time, DNR agency leaders have taken this task to heart, building upon our existing work in environmental justice, inclusion and belonging initiatives, and relationship building with Tribes, while advancing newer programs, like our Urban and Community Forestry grant program and Wildfire Ready Neighbors.

At DNR, we pride ourselves on being a leader in advancing fair and equal access to the lands and waters under our care. But we are always ready to do more. When I took office as Commissioner of Public Lands, I pledged to further embed environmental justice, civil rights, and Tribal sovereignty into all of our work as an agency.

Protecting lands and waters means protecting people, too. Successfully managing our public lands means ensuring that they are accessible and available to ALL; that everyone in our state has fair access to clean air, clean water, and healthy lands.

Now more than ever we need to be actively supporting vulnerable and underserved communities and lands. Whether through community engagement, employee training, or data-sharing for transparency, this plan empowers us with a clear path forward.

DNR’s mission is to manage, sustain, and protect the health and productivity of Washington’s lands and waters to meet the needs of present and future generations. Our Community Access and Impact Plan (CAIP) allows us to be even more intentional in those efforts by removing barriers to all communities, while remaining in compliance with federal and state Civil Rights laws. And we look forward to the work that lies ahead.

Community Access and Impact Plan Info

DNR's Community Access and Impact Plan

Accessing CAIP PDF: How-to Zoom-In/Out, Translate, and Read Aloud

What is Community Access and Impact?

The Community Access and Impact Plan (CAIP) is DNR’s commitment to making our work more transparent, fair, and connected to the people we serve. Our goals are clear: remove barriers to our services, create opportunities for access, and consider the potential impacts of DNR’s actions. CAIP unites our diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) and environmental justice (EJ) initiatives into a single framework in alignment with federal and state Civil Rights laws. This plan shows our commitment and who we are at our core – public servants dedicated to promoting equity, justice, access, and belonging for our communities and staff.

Why is DNR Creating CAIP?

DNR recognizes that to achieve our mission and vision in service of Washingtonians, the agency must embrace purposeful, accessible, and fair use of resources and programs. When we actively engage with Tribes and our community partners, DNR can better understand the perspectives and needs of Washingtonians, and the impact that our actions have across the state.

Incorporating CAIP into agency actions means working to ensure that everyone has access to clean air and clean water. It means reducing the disproportionate impact that climate change has on marginalized communities. This commitment will improve access to and engagement with DNR's programs and services and change how we make future decisions.

How is DNR Engaging in CAIP?

To accomplish these goals, DNR is examining current DEIB and EJ work and initiatives within the agency. We will center our work around accessibility and our impact on communities. The agency is determining how we can better engage with our communities when we plan our work. This work will uncover and address existing barriers and negative impacts on communities. It is important to understand what barriers exist for community access and engagement so that DNR can create a plan to remove those barriers to DNR's resources and programs.

For example, DNR will work toward collaborative relationships and good communication with Tribes and community organizations in all its programs, at all levels across the agency.

Additionally, DNR will publicize the agency's progress to maintain transparency and accountability on the impact of our CAIP goals.

Much work remains to understand the impact of agency actions. DNR is committed to being fair, just, and accessible for our communities and our staff.