Natural Heritage Initiative Natural Heritage Initiative Washington State Parks Recreation and Conservation Plan 304 SIGNIFICANT BACKGROUND INFORMATION: In March 2013, the Commission adopted its State Parks Transformation Strategy to guide efforts to achieve efficiencies and develop all appropriate means of financial and in-kind support for operation of the state park system. As can be expected, much of the agency’s attention has been focused on developing the Discover Pass and other ways of earning revenues. However, staff remains mindful of the Commission’s assertion that because state parks benefit all state residents, an appropriate blend of support should still include significant General Fund or other public funding sources. One of the seven transformation strategies is to “demonstrate that all Washingtonians benefit from their state parks”. This strategy is intended to better understand the significance and magnitude the state park system’s statewide benefits and to enlist interested stakeholder organizations in supporting, advocating, and otherwise helping to maximize these public benefits. Preserving and interpreting Washington’s natural heritage is fundamental to the agency’s mission and is clearly one such statewide benefit. Natural Heritage Initiative As a principle means of demonstrating statewide benefits, staff has begun work on its Natural Heritage Initiative. The overarching purpose of this initiative is to develop a systematic plan for protecting and restoring natural plant and animal communities in state parks, conveying their significance to the public, and enlisting the public’s participation and support in conserving them. Elements of this initiative include: • Assembling field data and assessing the significance, integrity and risks to State Parks’ ecological resources. • Recommending priorities for treatment of plant and animal communities (e.g., protection, restoration, and enhancement). • Identifying financial and in-kind resources to accomplish treatments. • Developing materials and methods to convey the significance of State Parks’ resources, the threats they face, and enlist the public in supporting the agency’s stewardship efforts. Planning and implementation of this initiative are underway. Below is a summary of select findings from the analysis and prioritization of field data, along with initial efforts to engage the public in recognizing and supporting the stewardship of their State Park natural resources. Opportunities to advance elements of the plan in the 2015- 2017 budget process are also noted. The Biological Significance of State Parks’ Natural Resources The lands managed by the Commission are extremely rich in their diversity of species and habitats, and arguably the greatest acre-for-acre concentration of species of conservation concern (endangered, threaten, sensitive, imperiled, vulnerable, candidates) in Washington, when compared against all other public and private entities in the state. Based on our current knowledge of the natural resources in the park system, more than 10% of parklands contain rare plant and/or animal species. Roughly double this acreage supports a number of healthy, functioning ecosystems (i.e., all natural biological processes appear to be present). Double this percentage yet again, and more than 40% of the park landscapes contain plant associations that are classified as being at moderate or higher risk of extirpation within Washington or across the globe (i.e., very important to protect). Finally, just over half of the uplands in our parks are within 0.1 miles of a water source. Water is an essential element to all habitat types. Washington State Parks Recreation and Conservation Plan 305 A number of these resources noted above are either unique to Commission lands, or represent some of the best remaining populations in the state/world. These statistics are based on what we know. Areas of the park system, and whole classifications of organisms, remain to be inventoried and assessed. Threats to Species of Conservation Concern in State Parks A host of factors threaten to degrade or even eliminate species of conservation concern within parklands, including competing park uses, habitat fragmentation, invasive species, and disrupted natural processes (exemplified by elevated wildfire fuel loads), make caring for these resources challenging. These factors also damage the myriad of habitats that help “common species to remain common” within Washington. Our knowledge and understanding about the distribution and intensity of these threats is variable (e.g., exotic species have been mapped, at least at a coarse level, across most parks and appear to have significantly altered 23% of the park system, where significant is defined as comprising >25% of the vegetation cover; others like knowing the exact locations of dry forest at greatest risk from wildfire and/or bark beetle attack remain less well understood). The exotic species map of Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park below shows how State Parks is mapping threats to species of conservation concern to better focus efforts to address the threats. Washington State Parks Recreation and Conservation Plan 306 A number of inter-agency and partnership agreements, combined with creative staffing and aggressive efforts to secure grants, are moving to address shortcomings in our field data and expand our capacity to address known threats. A budding citizen science effort under the Natural Heritage Initiative seeks to augment current inventory, monitoring, and treatment activities. The Initiative is also helping to clarify and articulate to all Washingtonians the importance and benefits associated with the biological resources in State Parks, and thus the need for dedicated funding to ensure the long-term integrity and accessibility of the park systems’ natural resources. Connecting Washingtonians with their Natural Heritage Why has the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission repeatedly affirmed through its statements and actions the importance of protecting and managing its natural resources, and more specifically, species of conservation concern and other habitats? Part of the answer is simply that the natural resources in the parks serve as the backdrop for most of the recreational activities that the public comes to enjoy. Diverse landscapes make for interesting experiences. However, the Commission has gone beyond this to ensure that significant natural resources are protected, yet accessible, through its land classification system, support of stewardship training and programs, and encouragement of visitors to understand and appreciate the natural heritage of their state. The Natural Heritage Initiative is expanding these latter points to include public engagement and support of Washington’s biological diversity (primarily in the parks, but also with the expectation that many visitors will carry these experiences into the broader decision-making processes of their lives). As noted earlier, citizen scientists of all ages (especially schools) will be invited to work alongside agency scientists and staff to learn about and contribute to our understanding of park natural resources. The first cadre of citizen scientists was trained in 2014. They will also be encouraged to take ownership of select projects, such as rehabilitating habitats, protecting sensitive species, and/or educating other members of the public. Complementing these efforts, partnerships are being expanded to educate conservation organizations to the significance of the natural resources in the park system and opportunities where they can technically assist or otherwise advocate for their protection (e.g., Pacific Biodiversity Institute). The targeted outcomes of the Natural Heritage Initiative are a public that gains a greater appreciation for their parks and a heightened level of support for their protection and the broader stewardship of Washington’s natural heritage. State Parks is uniquely positioned to host this transformation as the agency protects resources while still encouraging the public to access them in ways that minimize conflict between competing land-use goals. Washington State Parks Recreation and Conservation Plan 307 Capital Improvement Program In this section: • 10-Year Capital Plan Washington State Parks Recreation and Conservation Plan 308 State Parks and Recreation Commission Ten-Year Capital Plan Project Class: Preservation Agency Project Estimated Current Reappropriation New Estimated Estimated Estimated Estimated Priority Total Expenditures 2015-17 2015-17 2017-19 2019-21 2021-23 2023-25 1 Statewide—Facility and $7,000,000 $7,000,000 Infrastructure Backlog Reduction 2 Steamboat Rock—Replace $1,365,000 $1,365,000 Failing Sewage Lift Stations 3 Fort Flagler—Replace $1,303,000 $1,303,000 Failing Electrical Power Historic District 4 Fort Worden—Pier & $13,708,000 $820,000 $12,888,000 Marine Learning Center Improve or Replace 5 Statewide—Fish Barrier $2,633,000 $2,633,000 Removal (Lawsuit) 6 Fields Spring—Replace $1,060,000 $101,000 $959,000 Failed Sewage System & Non-ADA Comfort Station 7 Larrabee—Clayton Beach $2,937,000 $237,000 $2,700,000 Railroad Crossing and Trail Improvements 8 Statewide—Emergency $832,000 $832,000 Repairs 10 Dosewallips—Wastewater $4,079,000 $4,052,000 $27,000 Treatment System 11 Minor Works—Facility and $10,000,000 $8,203,000 $1,797,000 Infrastructure Preservation 12 Fish Barrier Removal $1,048,000 $281,000 $767,000 Washington State Parks Recreation and Conservation Plan 309 Agency Project Estimated Current