----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard E. Johnson" <johnsonre at wsu.edu>
To: <katehammill75 at hotmail.com>
Cc: <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Monday, March 05, 2001 8:36 PM
Subject: Re: access stewardship stickers


> Kate and Tweeters,
>
> I suspect part of the problem regarding permits is that there seem to be a
> number of different permits created by different agencies for various
> purposes that may affect a birder, and a birder often discovers these by
> surprise after having driven 50-200 miles to get to a place. Suddenly
> he/she is faced with a delemma. Backtracking to find a place to purchase
> the permit may take longer than finding the bird sought after, and also
> require spending an extra day or more (I have found the necessary govt
> office closed all weekend, for example), as well as burning more fossil
> fuel, etc.
>
> Examples of permit questions/problems:
>
> The recent report of White-winged Crosbills in Mt. Spokane State Park has
> birders going there, but the birds are at a Sno-park in the State Park and
> parking there requires a special permit. Where do you get the permit and
> for how much? Is this the same permit as for Sno-parks you see marked
along
> Interstate 90 in the Cascades? Probably not, since this one is in a STATE
> park.
>
> Last summer I had driven 50 or so rough, dirt miles into a back area in
the
> Blue Mtns only to be faced at a trailhead with a sign saying parking there
> required a permit. They've gotta be kidding: there's probably one vehicle
> there a month, and they require a permit?! I had been hiking in other
parts
> of the Blues the previous couple days and never encountered such a
> requirement. I found a ranger station IN the Blues and they said I had to
> go to the USFS office in Pomeroy. Drove 30 more miles to get there (again
> over mostly rough roads) and found the office was closed for the next two
> days. But patrolmen who might give citations WERE out on forest service
> roads. This is a bit disconcerting. People can't always drive to a place,
> discover they can't bird until they get a permit and can't get a permit
for
> a few days, then have to make a special trip for the permit on another
day,
> and finally make the origianl planned trip a week or so later than first
> planned. For me, the extra driving to do that would have added up to
nearly
> 400 miles. I'll pay for the permit if they'll pay for my extra time and
> gas!! I think you get the point. I wanted to cooperate, but after so much
> hassle, I lost my interest in cooperating.
>
> I think it would be a very useful project if someone (combined tweeters
> project, or Wash. Ornithol. Society?) created and posted a list of ALL the
> foreseeable permits for all the types of places a birder might go, where
to
> buy them, and cost. Forest Service and other agency offices could also
> distribute the lists, making for wider knowledge and less hassle for all.
> Then someone planning trips could use the list to be sure all the bases
> were covered BEFORE making a trip.
>
>
> Dick Johnson
> Pullman, WA
> johnsonre at wsu.edu
>
>
>
>
>
> >Tweeters:
> >
> >I've been reading a few negative reactions to the access-stewardship
> >stickers required to park at various State maintained hunting, fishing
and
> >birding sites, especially in Sno.Co.
> >Some folks seemed very upset to get tickets for not having one, and
others
> >seem to think because it is "public" land that free access is our right.
> >"Public" doesn't mean free. We as the "public" share a responsiblity to
help
> >maintain these great spots.
> >The extremely modest fee the state charges for these stickers (a mere
$10.00
> >a year!) is less than most birders spend on coffee and pastries in the
first
> >hour of a birding trip.
> >Two weeks ago my family and I were birding up at the Wyle Road Access and
> >witnessed a birder giving the warden a extremely hard time about the
> >"unfair" cost of access. All the while a pair of $1200.00 Swarovski's
hung
> >around his neck!
> >I bring all this up now because at the end of March the current stickers
> >expire and you should purchase new ones. The cost is a mere $10.00 ( or
if
> >you buy a fishing license they're free).
> >you can buy them at most hardware and sport shops or anywhere you buy
> >fishing and hunting licenses.
> >So Birders, let's stop complaining about these stickers, especially the
> >cost, and be thankful we have places left to use them at.
> >
> >kate
> >
> >kate hammill
> >seattle, wa.
> >mail to:katehammill75 at hotmail
> >_________________________________________________________________
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>
>