Providing Recreation Opportunities
Optimizing Fishing on WDFW Managed Lands: An internal steering committee comprised of Wildlife Program, Fish Program, and Enforcement leadership met on April 17 to continue work on a framework to support water access area planning. The framework will be piloted in Region 4. Planning will be supported by a demand survey being developed in collaboration with Washington State University (WSU).
States Organization for Boating Access Symposium: The 2023 States Organization for Boating Access (SOBA) Education & Training Symposium will be co-hosted by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, Washington Recreation and Conservation Office, and Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, Aug. 28 to Aug. 31, 2023, in Tacoma. The SOBA Symposium brings together state boating officials, consultants, engineering firms, manufacturers, suppliers, publishers, and other businesspersons interested in boating access. Environmental Planner Belson and Communications Consultant Couch are representing WDFW on the Washington organizing committee.
Wildlife Area Route Inventory: We have been working with our Geographic Information System (GIS) team to get data from wildlife areas on roads and trails that exist on the land. There are a few wildlife areas where this route inventory has been prioritized either because of intensive use or as part of a current planning process. The initial focus is the Quincy Lakes Unit in the Columbia Basin. We are in the process of developing an application that our contractor, the local trails collaborative, can use to collect trails inventory and conditions data that will link directly to our GIS platform. This model will be next applied in the Methow later this field season.
Program Development: An outline has been developed and writing has begun on a Travel Management Program manual that will encapsulate the different components of travel management for the agency. It will serve as a guide for wildlife area managers and land operating managers in managing roads, trails, dispersed recreation, trailheads, and camping areas.
Rulemaking: Draft rules have been developed related to closing user created routes, keeping motorized use on roads designated for that use, and then considering all routes closed to motorized, electric, and mechanized use unless they are designated as open to that class and during an appropriate season. These rules have been presented to the Travel Management Workgroup and will be further refined by the Rulemaking Committee.
Accessibility: An interdisciplinary subcommittee on accessibility on roads and trails has been formed with staff from across the agency. Providing needed accessible and adaptive recreational opportunities for the disabled and aging populations is a priority for this group. Their work will be incorporated into the Travel Management Program manual.
Recreation Impacts Management: The legislature partially funded a decision package to support work in the Lands Division to expand capacity for ecological integrity monitoring across WDFW managed lands. Funding will support collaborative work with Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Washington State Parks, and tribes, which will include efforts to develop a framework for monitoring recreation impacts on habitat and wildlife.
Coordination with Tribes: At the past two Centennial Accord meetings, multiple Washington tribes asked the governor to organize a task force with tribes and state land managers to address the impacts of recreation on treaty rights and resources. Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs hosted a kickoff meeting for tribes, the Governor’s Office, WDFW, DNR, and Washington State Parks on April 27.
Conserving Natural Landscapes
Wildlife Area Management Planning: A draft of the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area plan is out for external review to tribes, the L.T. Murray Wildlife Advisory Committee, and WDFW Diversity Advisory Committee. A public open house on the plan is tentatively scheduled for June 14, at the Kittitas County Fairgrounds.
A draft of the Skagit Wildlife Area plan is being reviewed by the internal planning team and the goals and objectives were presented to the Skagit Wildlife Area Advisory Committee on April 12. Planning is also underway for the Methow Wildlife Areas with planning team and Wildlife Area Advisory Council (WAAC) meetings scheduled for the second week of May.
Planning for the Cowlitz Wildlife Area commences in May with an initial WAAC meeting scheduled for May 9 followed by an internal scoping meeting with the planning team on May 16.
A Section 6 Management plan has been drafted for Violet Prairie and is undergoing internal review.
History of Invasive Cattail at Fir Island Farm: Weed Team Member Zimmerman developed a history of invasive cattail invasion and management at Fir Island farm, which will help to shape and improve detection and control of invasive cattails in existing and future wildlife areas.
Prescribed burn in Sinlahekin: Prescribed Burn Team Member Eberlein participated in a burn on a 51-acre prescribed burn in the Sinlahekin area. Led by DNR, the burn was a cooperative effort across multiple ownerships aimed at reducing impacts of potential future wildfires and improving habitat. Partnering across ownerships allows fire professionals to set fire lines for better burn control and more natural fire patterns.
Providing Education and Outreach
Ambassador Program: The Washington Trails Association (WTA) has been hired as the contractor to manage the volunteer ambassador program starting on July 1, 2023. Volunteer recruitment is underway. Ambassadors will be stationed at the following sites:
- Lewis Butte and Pipestone in the Methow
- Thorp
- Teanaway Junction
- Two sites in L. T. Murray in Region 3
Sign Standards and Guidelines: A process lasting over two years has concluded and the final version of the WDFW Sign Standards and Guidelines is now complete! The first round of 20 kiosks will be fabricated by the end of the biennium and installed in Region 4 in fall of 2023. Regulatory signs will be in Spanish and English on the new kiosks. Additionally, they will have a QR code that will link to translation in 11 languages. The sleek new kiosks will aid in making WDFW managed lands more welcoming and accessible.
Annual Fire Training: Prescribed Burn Team Eberlein hosted four annual fire training sessions, which are required for WDFW and Washington State Parks staff members to maintain and refresh national wildfire certifications and standards. In all, 51 WDFW and 34 State Parks personnel participated, including the three-mile walk with a 45-pound weighted vest in 45 minutes, equating to 147 miles and 2,205 pounds of weight.
Conducting Business Operations and Policy
Teanaway Community Forest: Burnham attended the quarterly Teanaway Community Forest Advisory Committee meeting. Staff members provided an update on the newly awarded grazing lease along the North Fork.
Annual Meeting, The Wildlife Society, Washington Chapter: Burnham presented a talk about grazing, fire, and fuels during an invited session on shrubsteppe. Other talks in the session addressed shrubsteppe wildlife, connectivity, planning tools, wind energy considerations, and the wide range of activities being conducted by the Foster Creek Conservation District.
Continued Prescribed Burning Strategic Planning: Prescribed Burn Team Eberlein continued coordination and participation in cross-agency planning and coordination to build consistency and support across State agency lands.
Other
Drone Training: Weed team members Heimer and Zimmerman continued their training in operating drones. This is in preparation for a new method for invasive weed management which will include mapping and spot-treating invasive species using drones.