The Route Inventory and Trail Conditions Assessment contract process is wrapping up. The contract will go to Logan Simpson, a consulting company. They plan to start work asap.
Providing Education and Outreach
The Ambassador Program is underway at Big Valley, Pipestone, and Lewis Butte in the Methow Wildlife Area. We are partnering with Methow Valley Trails Collaborative to oversee the program. Programming for central Washington locations will start in June.
Conducting Business Operations and Policy
Signs and kiosks are constantly being designed and fabricated. Lands has decided to move forward with tribal narratives on three-panel kiosks.
Skagit Wildlife Area Management Plan: The SEPA 30-day public review on the draft Skagit Wildlife Area Management Plan ended on April 22. The department received 14 sets of comments including letters from Skagit Audubon, Washington Trails Association, and Washington State Senate Republican Caucus. Lands Division and regional staff members are working on the comment responses at this time. Lands Division expects the final plan internal review by the end of May, with the final document being delivered to the Director in June for his signature.
The Fish and Wildlife Commission approved the acquisition of Phase 3 of Violet Prairie (90 acres in Thurston County), a new unit in the Scatter Creek Wildlife Area at the March 15 meeting. 4-lands-transaction-packet-3-15-2024.pdf (wa.gov) (PDF)
The Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is hosting a public meeting on the draft Skagit Wildlife Area plan at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27 at the Burlington Public Library, located at 820 E. Washington Ave. WDFW engaged tribal governments, technical experts, key stakeholders, and members of its Skagit Wildlife Area Advisory Committee in the development of the draft plan. Once finalized, the Skagit Wildlife Area plan will guide stewardship for the 17,968-acre wildlife area for the next ten years.
Providing Education and Outreach
Lands Division staff members presented an overview of the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Plan to the Fish and Wildlife Commission on March 15.
Lands Division staff members are reviewing vendor proposals for a second pilot year for the Ambassador Program. The Ambassador Program works with nonprofit partners to train and deploy volunteer “ambassadors” at high traffic recreation sites to provide welcome and education as part of an effort to encourage responsible recreation on department-managed lands.
Conducting Business Operations and Policy
Lands Division senior staff members held a retreat in Long Beach March 11 through March 13. They had a productive and in-depth reflection and strategic planning session that will inform our future work. Follow-up work to write up, share, and refine an annual calendar and the Strategic Priorities will continue over the next month.
The final Violet Prairie Section 6 Management Plan was delivered to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as a grant requirement under the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund. The property will be managed in perpetuity for the benefit of federal and state listed species, specifically the Yelm pocket gopher and the Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly. Planning and Recreation staff members developed the plan in collaboration with the wildlife area manager, Region 6, and Diversity Division staff members. Management activities featured in this plan include prairie restoration, forest management, noxious weed control, grazing and recreation. Grazing, identified as a management tool in the plan, will be introduced on the unit this year.
The route inventory contract is currently up for bid and will close in March. Planning and Recreation Section staff members are holding a pre-bid conference for interested organizations on Feb. 14.
Providing Education and Outreach
The Ambassador Program contract is currently up for bid and will close in March. Planning and Recreation staff members are still working with the tribal liaison to design tribal acknowledgment monuments. We have also been working with Director of External Affairs Pamplin, Director of Tribal Affairs Woods, and others to re-word some things on the Plum Access Area kiosk that includes a narrative about the Snoqualmie Tribe. There are about 20 water access area kiosks in the design phase.
Staff members have submitted a request for proposal to the Contracting Office for a route inventory and trail conditions assessment bid. The contract will hopefully be awarded in January or February of 2024. The contract includes a route inventory and trail conditions assessment at six wildlife areas.
Providing Education and Outreach
Staff members are preparing a request for proposal for an Ambassador Program 2024 bid process. Staff members are hoping to get the request for proposal posted before Dec. 23 to allow ample time for the bid process. Programming will hopefully run from April through August of 2024.
Staff members are continuing to work on kiosk development. In late December, 18 kiosks will be installed in Region 4. Ten more kiosks are currently in the design or fabrication process.
Trail Inventory and Assessment: Planning and Recreation staff members are close to putting a statewide route inventory and conditions assessment contract up for bid to take place in 2024. Staff members are also gathering information from land managers to solidify a contract for cultural resource review of Quincy Lakes.
The contract with TREAD for trail conditions assessment in Quincy Lakes is coming to a close. TREAD sent over the final report and data from the project. One more meeting with our Science Division GIS team and TREAD should wrap up the project.
Methow Wildlife Area Planning: Lands staff members have been working with the Wildlife Program GIS team in the development of a habitat mapping tool that will be used for the recreation planning process. The team plans to introduce the tool to the Methow Wildlife Area Planning Team at the December meeting. This tool will be used to help identify sensitive areas for the recreation planning process.
Conserving Natural Landscapes
Skagit Wildlife Area Planning: The Skagit Wildlife Area planning team completed a goal and objective prioritization exercise. The planning team was split into five subgroups to rank a list of objectives under their respective goals. The goals and objectives were provided from the draft Wildlife Area Management Plan and were expected to go through State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) study in early 2024. The subgroups consisted of species and habitats, waterfowl, salmon recovery, recreation, and operations & maintenance. The process was considered successful despite a few glitches with the system. Overall, it was well received by the planning team members.
Providing Education and Outreach
Ambassador Program: Staff members had the final debrief with Washington Trails Association on the Ambassador Program. Planning and Recreation staff members discussed strategy with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Communications and Public Engagement (CAPE) team on how CAPE can support the Ambassador Program in 2024 by highlighting the program in news releases.
The Region 4 listening sessions contract is currently up for bid and will close on Dec. 11. Planning and Recreation and CAPE staff members will review the proposals to decide on the winning bid.
Conducting Business Operations and Policy
Regional Water Access Management Planning: A working planning framework has been finalized and will remain in draft form as it is applied to the Region 4 planning pilot called for in the 10-year recreation strategy. Initial meetings have been held with the Region 4 core team and CAPE to begin initial preparations including messaging strategy, planning team development, and other organizational elements.
Staff members are still working to finalize a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a statewide trail inventory and assessment contract. This will hopefully go up for bid in December.
Conserving Natural Landscapes
Staff members coordinated to hire a Washington Conservation Coalition crew for Okanogan Wildlife Area to help with many long-standing recreation projects. They worked with wildlife area managers to decide on a funding source for the projects.
Cowlitz Wildlife Area Planning: The planning team met with Tacoma Power for a series of field visits to discuss adaptive forest habitat management on the Cowlitz Wildlife Area. The planning team will begin development of goals and objectives for the wildlife area this winter. Staff members are developing a recreational survey for the wildlife area that will soon be available to the public. In addition, staff members are working with the University of Washington Outdoor Lab to develop both intercept surveys and a remote survey using a chatbot to gather recreational data for the 2024 field season.
L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Planning: The L.T. Murray Wildlife Area final draft plan is pending signature by the director. Both the internal and external reviews are complete. Staff members coordinated a road and trail inventory over the summer, which will be completed in 2024. The inventory is the first step in assessing the current condition of the wildlife area travel network.
Providing Education and Outreach
Staff members conducted a final debrief on the Ambassador Program with the Washington Trails Association to discuss learnings and recommendations for 2024 programming.
Staff members worked with the contracting office to put the Region 4 listening sessions contract up for bid. This will solicit input from underrepresented communities about fishing and water access area opportunities in Region 4.
Other
On Nov. 6 a news release was sent out by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) inviting public comment on 20 proposed acquisition properties going through the 2023 annual cycle of Lands 20/20, consisting of approximately 13,558 acres in Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kittitas, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Skagit, Whatcom, and Yakima counties. On Nov. 8, after a preview with attending tribes, WDFW sent a letter to all federally recognized tribes with interests in Washington State inviting consultation on WDFW’s Lands 20/20 process and the 20 proposed acquisition properties going through the 2023 annual cycle of Lands 20/20.
On Nov. 9, 2023, a home on approximately five acres was acquired in Forks to provide much needed housing for WDFW’s Enforcement Program. This acquisition was exempt from Lands 20/20, approved by the Fish and Wildlife Commission on September 8, 2023 (Item B. Land Transaction) and was purchased for the appraised value of $530,000 using funding from the Enforcement Program.
Quincy Lakes Trails Plan: Staff members are working with a non-profit recreation organization to finalize a trail conditions assessment of approximately 60 miles of trails on the Quincy Lakes Unit. They began the process of contracting an archaeology consultant to conduct a cultural resources survey on the draft trail alignments.
Rulemaking: Planning and Recreation Section staff members have been working on rulemaking related to the unauthorized construction of trails and structures on Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) lands.
Recreation Ecology: Staff members facilitated a presentation by Recreation Ecologist Dr. Christopher Monz from Utah State University on research methodology related to recreational impacts on habitat within protected lands.
Conserving Natural Landscapes
Cultural Resource Inventory: Staff members are drafting a request for proposal for a contract with Historical Resource Associates, Inc. They plan to conduct a cultural resource inventory in Quincy Lakes to determine if the TREAD proposed re-routes are free of cultural artifacts.
Cowlitz Wildlife Area Planning: The planning team met with Tacoma Power for a series of field visits to discuss adaptive forest habitat management on the Cowlitz Wildlife Area. Staff members are developing a recreational survey for the wildlife area that will soon be available to the public. In addition, staff members are working with the University of Washington Outdoor Lab to develop both intercept surveys and a remote survey using a chatbot to gather recreational data for the 2024 field season.
L. T. Murray Wildlife Area Planning: The L. T. Murray Wildlife Area final draft plan is pending signature by the director. Both the internal and external reviews are complete.
Providing Education and Outreach
Ambassador Program: Partnership Coordinator Browning is gathering information about interest among land managers for a potential 2024 Ambassador Program. We will have a formal debrief of 2023 programming with Washington Trails Association, the contractor for the program, next week.
Kiosks: Kiosk production is moving along at a steady clip. Staff members designed and ordered kiosks for Lewis Butte and Ponds 4 and 5. Additionally, they are working with land managers to get cultural inventories completed ahead of the next bulk kiosk rollouts.
State-Tribes Recreation Impact Management: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is working with federally recognized tribes and other state agencies to develop a framework for managing recreation impacts on state lands. Lands Division Manager Wilkerson and Lands Recreation and Planning Manager Sisolak staff this work on behalf of Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife. The Steering Committee met on Sep. 21. Bob Whitener from the Whitener Group has been contracted to facilitate this work and was introduced at the Sep. 21 meeting.
Providing Recreation Opportunities
Trail Inventory Projects: Partnership Coordinator Browning and Recreation Planner Andersen continue to meet with land managers to discuss trail inventory projects in the coming year. Trail inventory projects will likely be taking place in Scatter Creek, Cowlitz, Wooten, Columbia Basin, and Wenas wildlife areas. Additionally, trail conditions assessments will be done for specific trails in the Methow and Wenas wildlife areas.
Rulemaking: Planning staff members have been working on the “Illegal Routes Rule” and will be presenting the draft language to the tribes during the first week of October. This rule will make it possible for Enforcement to write citations for anyone creating or constructing unauthorized routes or structures on WDFW lands.
Designated routes: Planning staff members are working with Director of Tribal Affairs Jim Woods and Cultural Resources Division Manager Kat Kelly to develop a plan for temporarily designating roads and trails that the land managers have historically recognized and maintained for the public.
Providing Conflict Prevention and Education
Signage: Kiosk maps are being developed for Region 5 and Region 3 lakes. Two other kiosks for the wildlife areas are also being developed. The statewide prioritized kiosk list is now completed so wildlife area and water access area managers can have a rough idea of when to expect bulk kiosks.
Conserving Natural Landscapes
L. T. Murray Wildlife Area Planning: The final draft L. T. Murray Wildlife Area management plan is complete. The plan is undergoing final review by Wildlife Director Gardner, Wildlife Deputy Director Cope, and Lands Division Manager Wilkerson. The plan will be presented to Director Susewind for final approval and signature in early October.
Cowlitz Wildlife Area Planning: The planning team convened in September to review information obtained through both internal and external scoping. A field visit was conducted on the wildlife area between Tacoma Power Representative Russell, State Forester Pfeifle, and members of the planning team to discuss future forest management on the Peterman Ridge Unit of the Cowlitz Wildlife Area. A second forestry field trip is scheduled for November to visit other units of the wildlife area.
Providing Education and Outreach
Ambassador Program: The Ambassador Program had its final day of programming on Sep. 16. Browning had a debrief with Washington Trails Association (WTA) to hear about takeaways from the seasonal staff. Another debrief is scheduled for next month with WTA and WDFW staff members.
Lands Advisory Group Strategic Planning: To diversify participation and increase support from local communities, the Lands Advisory Group strategic plan will provide statewide improvements and identify opportunities to enhance the roles of advisory committee members. These recommended changes will benefit staff members and community experiences while increasing public involvement in land management practices. Staff members will engage internal and external stakeholders in this planning process which is expected to continue through 2025.
State-Tribes Recreation Impact Management: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is working with federally recognized tribes and other state agencies to develop a framework for managing recreation impacts on state lands. The Steering Committee met on Sep. 7.
Providing Recreation Opportunities
Trail Inventory Projects: Partnership Coordinator Browning and Recreation Planner Andersen continue to meet with land managers to discuss trail inventory projects for the upcoming year. Browning will draft up request for proposals in the near future. Trail inventory projects will likely be taking place in Scatter Creek, Cowlitz, Wooten, Columbia Basin wildlife areas, and Manastash area. Trail condition assessments will be done for some specific trails in the Methow Wildlife Area and the Manastash area.
Conserving Natural Landscapes
Swakane Forest Restoration Project: Foresters Mize and Pfeifle, along with forestry interns, finalized re-marking and re-flagging the portions of Unit 4 that were impacted by the Red Apple Fire in July. Forester Mize revised all paperwork for harvester and log auction bid packets to address the changes caused by the Red Apple Fire. These packets were reposted on Washington Electronic Business Solution and the Department of Natural Resource (DNR) websites, and bids for these contracts will be due during the second half of September. The goal is to begin work around Oct. 1 to finalize harvest operations in Unit 4 before the winter weather and road conditions set in.
Colockum Restoration Thinning Project Phase 1: Forester Mize continues to conduct layout and leave tree marking activities on the Colockum restoration thinning project phase one, no harvest skip marking, and road layout in Units 1 and 3. Forester Mize has sent out an email to set a date for a field review of this project with collaborators from DNR, WDFW, Department of Ecology, and the Yakama Nation.
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Photo by WDFWColockum Forest Restoration Project Unit 1 as viewed from across the North Fork Colockum Creek. Photo shows a very dense stand with few gaps above the talus near the stream.
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Photo by WDFWColockum Forest Restoration Project Unit 6. Photo demonstrates overstocked conditions prevalent throughout this project area.
L. T. Murray Wildlife Area Grazing Permits Monitoring: Range Ecologist Burnham completed Multiple Indicator Monitoring of riparian habitat on the L. T. Murray Wildlife Area.
Methow Wildlife Area Management Planning: Personnel held a public workshop on Sep. 13 for the purpose of collecting public comments on the proposed mule deer winter closures pilot. About 90 members of the public attended. The meeting focused on a question and answer session with Scott Fitkin. A biologist from the Colville Tribe expressed full support for the closure. The following day we held an advisory committee field trip to Lewis Butte to discuss the closures in more detail. The public survey concludes on Oct. 15. The Methow Wildlife Area Planning team also held a meeting on Sep. 12and the meeting focused on recreation planning and goals and objective development.
Teanaway Community Forest: Burnham conducted the 4th round of 2021 grazing monitoring on the Teanaway (TCF) leases. Burnham also completed a draft report on the degree to which the TCF Grazing Framework had been implemented and how effective it was. This report was requested by the grazing technical team for the forest and will presumably be used to help develop lease renewal language.
Shrubsteppe Proviso: Burnham attended meetings for two of the near-term technical action committees (hay and wildlife-friendly fences) and followed up gathering information to report at subsequent meetings.
Wildfire Suppression: Prescribed burn staff members continued to assist with wildfire suppression as they have over the past couple months as needed. Wildfires in eastern Washington are still a concern, but current suppression efforts are making good progress on control and containment.
Preparation for Controlled Burns on Eastern Washington Wildlife Areas: Staff members have been evaluating conditions for conducting prescribed fires this fall. Prescribed fire, used at certain times of the year when conditions are not so volatile, can greatly reduce wildfire intensity and create favorable resilient forest habitat. Areas to potentially burn this fall include the Methow- Ramsey Unit, Colockum-Stemilt Lilly Unit, L. T. Murray-Hutchins Unit, and Oak Creek-Oak Creek drainage and Cougar units.
Weed Control Field Work: The North Crew treated butterfly bush on the Skagit Wildlife Area Island Unit, blackberry at Fir Island Farm, and knotweed at Southfork and Cottonwood. The crew treated cattail at the New Steamboat, Seattle Pond and Deepwater sites. The crew also led a cooperative treatment effort with Washington Department of Agriculture, Snohomish County Weed Board and Pat Cole (Wildlands Management) for Spartina anglica at North Leque Island.
The South Crew treated weeds at the Chehalis Wildlife Area. Holcomb, Mikkelsen and Nunez supported U. S. Geological Survey and U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service using the airboats to access sites and sample burrowing shrimp over two days in Grays Harbor as part of a research study. The crew surveyed Cedar River along the slough banks, and Morgan surveyed Hawks Point, Clam Beach and Cedar River meadow in Willapa Bay and treated where needed. Nunez and Mikkelsen supported the Benton County Weed Board, with the help of Franklin County Weed Board, on the annual Yakima River flowering rush survey and control project using airboats. The river is running higher than usual and very little flowering rush was located, compared to previous surveys that occurred in July when water levels were lower with plants more exposed and in flower.
Weed Coordinator Heimer visited the three project sites and took post-treatment pictures looking at treatment efficacy. All treatment plots (a diquat application, followed by imazapyr) show efficacy compared to the controls. Heimer also treated samples of marshpepper with Procellacor to determine efficacy and did a separate site visit to record post-treatment efficacy at Flett Ponds. Heimer also revisited Minter Creek and treated a handful of knotweed regrowth for Capital Asset Management Program in preparation for 2022 construction.
Providing Education and Outreach
Ambassador Program: The Ambassador program will wrap up on Sep. 16 with its final day of programming. Browning and Sisolak will debrief the program with Washington Trollers Association and land managers and decide if the program will run again in 2024.
Signage: Browning continues to work on multiple kiosk projects: one for Region 3, one for Region 2, and starting the second wave of bulk kiosks for Region 3 and Region 5.
Lands Advisory Group Strategic Planning: To diversify participation and increase support from local communities, the strategic plan will provide statewide improvements and identify opportunities to enhance the roles of advisory committee members. These recommended changes will benefit staff members and community experiences while increasing public involvement in land management practices. Staff members will engage internal and external stakeholders in this planning process which is expected to continue through 2025.
States Organization for Boating Access Symposium: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife co-sponsored and attended the States Organization for Boating Access symposium held in Tacoma during the last week of August. Lands Division was represented by Belson. Other WDFW attendees and presenters included Region 6 field operations, Real Estate Services, and Capital and Asset Management Program (CAMP). The director gave a welcome speech to attendees on the opening day.
Conducting Business Operations and Policy
Wildfire Risk and Public Access to WDFW Lands: Section Manager Dahmer coordinated cross-program discussion reviewing wildfire risk and developing recommendations to revise public access restrictions on eastern Washington wildlife areas and water access areas. WDFW’s day-use-only restriction was lifted on Sep. 16 consistent with DNR opening their eastern Washington lands to public access. WDFW’s restrictions on campfires, target shooting, chainsaw use, and smoking continued until the end of September. Dahmer also presented draft protective measures for land stewardship activities on wildlife areas and water access areas to regional wildlife program managers for input with the intent to continue work on these measures and process to be ready for next burn season.
Bonneville Power Administration Fund Distribution: Vegetation Ecologist Merg previously coordinated work to distribute new Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) mitigation dollars to eight wildlife areas. BPA had some concerns regarding the proposal with a portion of funds going to BPA enhanced lands rather than all funding going to BPA fee title lands. Staff members are coordinating with BPA regarding their concerns while ensuring funding availability to provide land stewardship.
