Your Help Needed to Protect Murrelets
Please Attend These Meetings and/or Submit Comments
Special Board of Natural Resources Meeting on Marbled Murrelets in Olympia
Thursday, Oct. 15, 9-3:30
John A. Cherberg Building, Senate Hearing Room 1
This meeting will focus exclusively on the Marbled Murrelet Long-term Conservation Strategy. Kyle Blum (Dept. of Natural Resources) and Bridget Moran (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) will present to the Board the final strategy alternatives under consideration. Murrelet researcher Dr. Zach Peery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, will also make a special presentation.
These presentations will be posted as PowerPoints on the BNR website prior to the meeting. Murrelet supporters are needed to attend this meeting to let the Board members know that a science-based Long-term Conservation Strategy that prioritizes murrelet survival and recovery should be the preferred alternative.
Please take the opportunity to review these online presentations to focus your comments. The public comment period occurs before the meeting presentations, which means the public will not have the benefit of hearing the accompanying narrative that explains the material.
There is a 90-minute period for public comment, from 9-10:30 a.m. If you would like to speak, please arrive at least 15 minutes early to sign in.
You can also submit your comments via email to bnr@dnr.wa.gov or letter to Board of Natural Resources, MS 47000, Olympia, WA 98504-7000.
NOTE: At this meeting BNR members will decide to accept or reject the current conservation alternatives presented by the Dept. of Natural Resources. They will not be choosing the preferred alternative at this time. That decision, and the schedule for public input on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), is expected in November.
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Using Common Ground Solutions to Preserve Washington’s Heritage
Thursday, October 15, 6:30 p.m. Olympia
The Evergreen State College, Seminar II Bldg., Room C1107
Join the conversation at a new, solution-oriented panel event focused on the use and benefits of two state programs that have been supporting Washington schools, rural communities, and endangered species. The Trust Land Transfer and State Forest Replacement Programs are win-win-win programs for Marbled Murrelets, Washington’s forests, and our timber-dependent counties.
This event is co-sponsored by the Murrelet Survival Project and The Evergreen State College. Panelists include:
Brian Blake, State Representative, WA-19, including all of Wahkiakum and Pacific Counties, and parts of Cowlitz, Grays Harbor and Lewis Counties. Brian was a logger for 10 years before he became an environmental specialist for the Dept. of Corrections. He is a current member of the Coastal Harvest board, a food-bank distribution center, and is on the board of the Lower Columbia Community Action Program.
Kara Whittaker, Senior Scientist, Washington Forest Law Center
Senior Scientist & Policy Analyst Kara Whittaker joined WFLC in January 2008. In 2007, she earned her PhD in Urban Ecology at the University of Washington, College of Forest Resources.
Dan Cothren, Wahkiakum County Commissioner
Dan worked in the timber industry as a timber faller for 38 years, and has served as county commissioner since 2000. He has also served as the timber county chair for the past 14 years.
Jed Herman, Dept. of Natural Resources
Jed currently is the Division Manager for DNR’s Conservation, Recreation and Transaction programs. He has been a natural resource professional for 22 years, 4 of which in wildlife biology, 6 as a forester, and the remainder as a manager and policy advisor.
Seating is limited. Please RSVP.