Subject: Department of Fish and Wildlife's Access Stewardship Decal
Date: Mar 16 11:50:58 1999
From: Mike Fraidenburg - FRAIDMEF at dfw.wa.gov
March 10, 1999
To: Tweeters
From: Mike Fraidenburg, Dpt. of Fish and Wildlife
Subject: Access Stewardship Decals
Did you know that Washington citizens own about 800,000 acres of prime wildlife habitat and about 625 water access sites? Managed by the Department of Fish and Wildlife, these lands provide wildlife protection while affording excellent wildlife viewing, hiking, water sports, hunting, fishing, and other compatible recreation. There is an important Washington license change on April 1 that affects visitors to Department of Fish and Wildlife lands and water access sites. In this message I want to follow-up on the Tweeters exchange that occurred earlier this year about this license change.
Department of Fish and Wildlife lands, especially water access sites, provide a large share of Washington's outdoor recreation opportunities. Many areas offer access to lakes and rivers otherwise out of reach to most people. Other areas provide wonderful hiking, wildlife viewing, swimming, bird watching, kayaking, nature study, picnicking and other recreation opportunities. Washington is the smallest of the 11 western states but it is second highest in population. This translates into a lot of recreationists impacting available recreation sites.
While acquisition has been robust, operation and maintenance has lagged. There are basic stewardship shortfalls on Department lands. Garbage goes uncollected. Toilets are routinely not clean. Boat ramps are deteriorating. Signs are out of date and uncoordinated. And illegal dumping of waste is common. These problems exist despite yeomen's work of our existing access and wildlife area staff. Only 34% of needed water access area maintenance is getting done.
In the face of these negatives the Department's recreation sites are popular. Use is increasing, often enlarging needed maintenance. Type of use is changing. Traditional hunting and fishing use continues while new use (e.g., jet skiing, swimming, bird watching) is increasing. These features define the management challenge on Department lands. The goal of the license change is to begin addressing the stewardship gap.
On April 1, 1999, vehicles parked at many Department access sites need a parking permit - an Access Stewardship Decal. Revenue from decal sales is earmarked to keep access sites in good shape or for fish and wildlife stewardship. A single decal is good at all sites. Youth groups need to have only one person with them who has a decal when using a site. Hunters and fishers get a decal, without additional cost, as part of their license purchase. When purchased as a stand-alone license, decal cost is $10 for the year (April-March). Additional decals for other vehicles cost $5 each.
Some constituents have expressed an interest in getting a decal without having to buy a conventional license. To do this the Decal legislation created the Conservation Patron option. This is an attractive option for people who want to make fish and wildlife stewardship donations and get a decal for using Department of Fish and Wildlife lands. For a minimum donation of $20, Conservation Patrons receive a decal and direct their donation to general fish and wildlife stewardship needs. The Tweeters exchange on buying an interim license as the most inexpensive means for getting a decal is correct. However, the fees you pay are not earmarked.
Buying a decal is easy. Get one wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold. Making a Conservation Patron donation is also easy. Simply visit one of the Department's regional offices or send us your donation and we will return a decal in the mail. More information and a mail-order application form is available on the Department's home page (http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/). I feel especially good about the maps showing recreationists where they can access outdoor recreation on Department lands.
I appreciate Tweeters carrying the exchange on the Access Stewardship Decal. My hope is that public discussion over the new decal requirement can focus attention on the basic stewardship issues surrounding maintaining wonderful outdoor recreation opportunities. The maintenance gap on Department lands is manifest. A debate over the decal requirement will succeed if there is progress resolving access and wildlife stewardship problems.
Look for more detail on our Internet home page. If you have questions please feel free to contact me. Enjoy Washington's fish and wildlife heritage in 1999.
Mike Fraidenburg
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North
Olympia, WA 98501-1091
(360) 902-2567
e-mail (fraidmef at dfw.wa.gov)
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