Skagit Wildlife Area Advisory Committee

Skagit Wildlife Area is one of 33 wildlife areas (WLA) owned and/or managed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). Each of these areas is guided by a Wildlife Area Management Plan. Over the next 10 years, these plans will be revised to reflect current conditions and updated objectives to support the agency’s mission: To preserve, protect and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.

The plans will be developed with input from the public and interested stakeholders, including a Wildlife Area Advisory Committee (WAAC). This charter includes the purpose and responsibilities of the Skagit WAAC, and agency staff in the development of the Wildlife Area Management Plan.

Wildlife Area Advisory Committee (WAAC) Membership

WAAC members represent a range of user and stakeholder groups who have interests in activities and sustainable wildlife resources on the wildlife area. Represented groups include hunters, birders, fish and wildlife conservationists, land and water managers, local governments, science and educators, and wildlife-related recreationists.

WAAC Role & Responsibilities

The role of the advisory committee is to provide public and other stakeholders’ perspectives in WDFW wildlife area planning and management activities.

Responsibilities include:

• Review information, discuss issues with staff and other committee members, and provide input during development of the wildlife area plan and biannual updates
• Share information and collect feedback from the larger groups they represent, to share with the rest of the committee
• Attend all WAAC meetings (Note: the staff will work with the committee to identify times/dates that work best for committee members). Meetings will be held during normal business hours.
• Communicate about agency goals and wildlife area activities outside of WAAC meetings
• Act in an advisory capacity, providing input to staff that will be considered in the department’s decision-making process
• Engage in opportunities to obtain recent, on-site awareness of Wildlife Area Units, the resources present, prospective compatible uses associated with each site, and any challenges to meeting site-based objectives
• In addition to the plan, the WAAC can be used as a forum to discuss on-going wildlife area issues
• Acknowledge and accept that the process will provide only limited time to delve into all wildlife area issues
• Participate in other WLA planning public outreach opportunities such as public meetings about this process
• Recognize that this is an advisory role and each member will be most effective when they provide soundly developed and reasonably stated viewpoints that WDFW staff can use during Management Plan composition and review
• Register on the WDFW Volunteer website: https://wdfw.wa.gov/get-involved/volunteer