The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission met Dec. 14-16 via webinar to hold committee meetings, make decisions on land transactions, black bear timber damage rule making, three public petitions, and leadership elections; and hear briefings on a variety of fish and wildlife topics.
The meeting began Thursday with meetings of the Commission’s Big Tent, Habitat, Fish, and Wildlife committees. Committee meeting agenda items included discussions about the Draft Conservation Policy, Lands 20/20 updates, fisheries season planning, and sea duck management.
On Friday, the meeting began with a decision to open public comment on the updated draft Conservation Policy beginning Monday, Dec. 18 through Friday, Jan. 12, 2024. Following that discussion, commissioners heard open public input and the director’s report.
Commissioners approved the acquisition of a 530-acre property at Chapman Lake in Spokane County to provide public access to the lake and surrounding area. Since the Chapman Lake Resort closed in 2011, access to the lake has been walk-in only, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) worked to acquire land on the lake to provide public water access. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) currently owns the property and has agreed to transfer it to WDFW using the Trust Land Transfer program (TLT) funded by the Washington State Legislature in the 2023-25 biennium. The TLT process allows DNR to transfer economically underperforming lands with high ecological values and public recreational benefits to a receiving agency.
Planning for this site is funded through a Boating Facilities Program grant from the Washington Recreation and Conservation Office. WDFW will continue stocking the lake with kokanee to support the popular fishery there while continuing to secure and implement funding for development of a new water access site. The property will also support hunting, hiking, wildlife watching, and other outdoor recreation.
The Commission also heard a briefing on 20 proposed projects being considered under WDFW’s Lands 20/20 process, which considers species and habitat management plans, regional conservation initiatives, community perspectives, and outdoor recreation potential.
On Friday afternoon, the Commission approved a proposed rule change to revise how the Department issues black bear timber damage depredation permits. The Commission also heard a briefing and public comment about potential updates to the North of Falcon Policy.
To close out Friday, the Commission made decisions on three public petitions. The Commission approved a petition to begin rule making to amend a fishing season on Deer Lake in Stevens County. The Commission denied a petition to initiate rule making for a recreational spring black bear hunting season. The Commission accepted a petition to begin rule making for black bear and cougar seasons and committed to work with staff to determine what elements of the petition will be in the proposed rules and the schedule for rule making.
Saturday began with open public input. Then the Commission amended its Rules of Procedure, which guides its internal operations. The Commission then elected Barbara Baker as Chair and Tim Ragen as Vice-Chair and hired an executive assistant. The meeting concluded with a meeting debrief and future meeting planning.
The meeting was recorded and will be published on the Commission webpage so the public can watch afterward at their convenience.
The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission is a panel appointed by the governor that sets policy for WDFW. WDFW works to preserve, protect, and perpetuate fish, wildlife, and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.
STOPPED! Wild Olympics Bill – 2023!
Merry Christmas! The Wild Olympics 2023 Bill has been STOPPED!! For 13 years we have prevented this 250,000 acre Land Grab. Murray’s Bill made it out of Committee last Thursday for the first time in these 13 years. Kilmer’s was not even heard this year. We will defeat the 2024 Bill and send Kilmer packing without this passing. STOP Wild Olympics Now and Forever!!
Public Call to Action!
OPAC is calling for a **Take Action Alert.**
We need everyone to contact these three leaderless, over and over again with…………
“We want our public access, re-opened on Our lands, Now!”
Contact Al Watson 760-371-2889 at alfred.watson@usda.com Susan Beall 541-517-4453 at susan.beall@usda.gov and their boss Liz Berger 971-260-7808 at liz.berger@usda.gov. Thank you! I am an Elkoholic, and I don’t want to be cured. (DB)
(More) Grizzlies in the North Cascades – No, thank you!
Grizzlies in the North Cascades: The public has a week to submit comments to the National Park Draft Plan – Environmental Impact Statement at this link:
https://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?documentID=132104
OPAC has submitted their support for Alternative A – No Action. See below:
Thank you for this opportunity to comment on this proposal.
Olympic Public Access Coalition supports Alternative A – No Action.
1) Grizzlies are reported to be in the North Cascades. They have been there for decades.
2) The North Cascades has proven to not have an adequate food source. Otherwise, there would be more grizzlies. Additional grizzlies will decimate the elk and deer in the area, then starve.
3) In 1995, Washington State created legislation (RCW.77.12.035), declaring, “grizzly bears shall not be transplanted or introduced into the state.”
4) This plan is a product of the US Fish and Wildlife, but takes place within National Park Service boundaries. National Park Service policy prohibits extirpated species from being reintroduced that pose a threat to park personnel.
5) As the population grows and disburses across the region, human and bear conflicts that arise, and will arise, will be mitigated disproportionately against the human environment and will have a direct impact to present and potential recreational opportunities.
6) A comprehensive impact study of management options on recreation has not been performed in the Draft Environmental Impact Study.
Respectfully,
Olympic Public Access Coalition
Board of Governors
Enchanted Valley Chalet Trail gets new bridge at 1st Creek
Recently completed at the first creek, past Graves Creek Trailhead.
Hoping this improvement to access infrastructure means the Chalet will receive similar
treatment.
( Photo by Sean Philbrick )
FS DOA Needs Rubber Stampers
FS Dept. of Aggravation is going thru the motions again, of hand picking the rubber stampers, of their Agenda to destroy public access.
The RAC rejects our projects to re-open access to the Humptulips gravel bar and piled roads, they destroyed with the same funding. 🤮
https://www.kxro.com/volunteers-needed-for-olympic-peninsula-resource-advisory-committee/
Chalet Threatened
Enchanted Valley Chalet’s future, on the upper Quinault River, continues to be threatened by the river and Olympic National Park, who wants it removed. Volunteers saved it by moving it away from falling into the river and erosion is threatening it again.
The Park’s Environmental Assessment process drags on, now behind in the13th of a long 15 step process. Will the Chalet still be there, when the process is done? (2020 Photo)
From David Galyean…
Here’s the picture of the chalet when it was built brand new in hewn logs.
Proof that it wasn’t originally a canopy, window gutters before the park rangers added it on afterward.
Third picture: My family’s scrapbook given to us from Freda
The last picture was given to me in January ‘84 while my parents and I decided to visit my grandpa Glenn’s sister, Freda Schwab in Buckley, Washington.
Bill is Dead!
The 2021 Wild Olympics Bill did not pass! 🙂
It was stripped out of the National Defense Act again , where they continue to try and sneak it thru.
For 10 years now we have stopped this attempt, to restrict access to 250,000 acres of our Working Wild Olympics.
I will be on KXRO Radio “Live @ 9” with Pat on Thursday to talk about this and new changes to the Olympic Forest Service and Park.
Streamed live at kxro.com
https://www.workingwildolympics.org
Lawerence Kills Two Rangers
Big changes on the Olympic Forest Service. The newest Olympic Supervisor Kelly Lawerence has eliminated the 2 District Ranger positions for the west and east sides. Resulting in less possible local interactions and control from just one person. Allies are appealing this to the top levels in DC.
Military Infiltrates Park Service
Olympic Nat. Park ~ the Supervisor Sarah Creechbaum has recently left for the same position in AK.
The Deputy Supervisor will now be acting. She has made controversial statements to the public about not representing their concerns at the Sol Duc road washout meetings. No resolution to access is pending. No one is currently in the pipeline for a replacement Supervisor.
The Western Region Supervisor, overseeing 10 states and 65 Parks was just filled 10 days ago by a Texas military base officer.
Not being from with in the Park system, could be interesting.