Mission Statement
Our mission is to help communities across the state of Wisconsin move continuously toward a sustainable future through initiatives that promote environmental stewardship, economic growth, public health, and social equity.
Legacy Communities are Leaders in Sustainable Implementation
The sustainability movement is dedicated to creating better places for living. Sustainability efforts focus on improving the environment, as well as the financial and social well-being of communities. Many communities in Wisconsin are now adopting sustainability principles for their growth management. Most of these communities develop a Smart Growth plan as their foundation.
The Legacy Community program works cooperatively with other sustainability efforts taking place in Wisconsin. The program uniquely supplements ongoing sustainability efforts by focusing on achievable benchmarks and through raising community awareness of sustainable procedures. Legacy Communities can be a good starting point for a community wanting to create a pathway towards sustainability.
More About the Charter
Green Tier Legacy Communities demonstrate leadership in improving the economy, the environment and the quality of life in their communities. Moving forward, we will be continuously working to increase the number of municipalities participating in this innovative program.
1000 Friends of Wisconsin announced the formation of the Charter in December 2010. It was signed by the DNR; 1000 Friends of Wisconsin; League of Wisconsin Municipalities; Municipal Environmental Group – Wastewater; Center on Wisconsin Strategy and Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corp. They aligned their efforts in support of Sustainable Community development.
In the 5 plus years since the Charter was first developed, membership has grown to include many of Wisconsin’s most innovative communities and counties. See a full list of all the members.
Communities participating in the charter will have direct access to a Wisconsin DNR resource team that will provide technical assistance to communities and act as a single point of contact for all interactions between the community and the department. Other nongovernmental partners in the charter will also provide technical assistance to participating communities.