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PRESS RELEASE
Naas Natural Area Preserve Public Workshop and Hearing
Contact: Princess Jackson-Smith, 360-902-1066, princess.jackson-smith@wadnr.gov
The area, near Coupeville, is critical to recovering the golden paintbrush
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Whidbey Camano Land Trust (WCLT) will jointly host a workshop and DNR will conduct a public hearing on the proposal to establish the boundary for the Admiralty Inlet (Naas) Natural Area Preserve on Wednesday, August 31. The workshop will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by the formal hearing at 7:15 p.m. The location is the Island County Courthouse Annex, Commissioners Hearing Room B102, 1 NE 6th Street, in Coupeville.
The purpose of the workshop is to provide information about the proposed natural area preserve, and to give the public an opportunity to ask questions, review maps and interact with DNR and WCLT staff regarding the site.
The proposed Admiralty Inlet (Naas) Natural Area Preserve is located in Island County, approximately three miles southwest of the town of Coupeville and within the Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve. Establishment of this natural area preserve is one step toward the permanent protection and active management of a 33-acre property that is a critical and integral part of recovering the golden paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta), a plant listed as state Endangered and federally Threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
“This is a collaborative project between the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and the Whidbey Camano Land Trust,” said State Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland. We value and appreciate dedicated partners working to help us maintain the legacy of significant natural features on behalf of the people of Washington.”
Only 11 populations of golden paintbrush exist in the world
Golden paintbrush is a species of the prairies and coastal grasslands that historically occurred from the central portion of Oregon’s Willamette Valley to southwest Washington and up to Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
It is extinct in Oregon, and has disappeared from many sites elsewhere in Washington and British Columbia. According to Land Trust Executive Director Patricia Powell, the proposed NAP includes 25 acres of golden paintbrush habitat, but most sites are less than one acre in size. “It is really an extraordinary property. It contains a remarkable remnant of our nation’s natural heritage right here in Island County.”
Acquisition and management of the property will provide one of the three largest habitat areas for this species with great potential for meeting recovery goals and restoring the species to a viable population size and its former health and vigor.
The site will be accessible for educational and scientific uses. Research, with an emphasis on information needed for recovery of golden paintbrush, will be encouraged. Management and research will focus on restoration of the site, increasing population numbers to a stable level, and reintroducing plants (both paintbrush and other prairie species) into suitable habitat on the site. The site has been used for general environmental education purposes, and would remain open for such use as long as it does not negatively impact restoration efforts.
Those unable to attend the hearing may submit written comments that will be accepted until close of business on September 1, 2005. Send written comments to: Marsha Hixson, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Asset Management and Protection Division, P.O. Box 47014, Olympia, WA 98504-7014; FAX 360-902-1789; or e-mail marsha.hixson@wadnr.gov. Information about the Whidbey Camano Land Trust, its projects, and how citizens can get involved is on the Land Trust’s website at www.wclt.org. To contact the Land Trust, call (360) 321-5141.
Natural Area Preserves
The Department of Natural Resources is manager and steward of approximately 31,225 acres in 50 preserves throughout the state. NAPs protect outstanding features including native forests and grasslands, bogs, and sagebrush communities, and habitats for rare plant and animal species such as basalt daisy, the Puget blue butterfly, and the Oregon spotted frog. Varying in size from about 5 acres to 3,600 acres, preserves have been established around the state. Natural Area Preserves are acquired through gift or purchase from willing sellers.
Please Note: A map of the proposed NAP is available on DNR’s website at www.dnr.wa.gov/htdocs/adm/comm/nr05_106_map.pdf
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