The mission of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is to "acquire, operate,
enhance and protect a diverse system of recreational, cultural, historical and natural sites"
in an effort to leave a valued legacy to future generations. State Parks' resource stewardship
program is charged with protecting the natural and cultural resources on approximately 120,000 acres
of land managed by the agency. The program's team of resources specialists work with parks staff, park users
and other interested parties to balance the complex – and often conflicting – demands of
environmental protection, cultural/historic preservation and outdoor recreation.
To safeguard the public lands in its trust, the State Parks resource stewardship program
administers a broad range of conservation activities, including the inventory and assessment
of natural and cultural resources, management planning, applied research, stewardship
training and special topics of statewide significance such as salmon recovery. Highlights
of the program's conservation activities follow.
Resource Inventory and Assessment
A scarcity of information about the quantity, quality and distribution of
cultural and natural resources in state parks places park resources at risk of
degradation through development and natural processes. Efforts are currently underway
to rectify this condition through a series of capital, operating and volunteer supported
initiatives.
In the future, you will be able to link from here to an overview on State Parks'
"Historic Properties Condition Assessment," rare plant cooperative surveys and a plant
community assessment project.
Park Resources Management
The resource stewardship program oversees resource management planning in state parks,
and a 10-year action plan designed to guide the conservation and protection of state
park cultural and natural resources is in development. The five-year-old Classification
and Management Planning process (CAMP), to-date encompassing approximately 50 percent of
the parks, is an agency public process designed to identify and address important resource
issues in state parks. The CAMP process serves as the guiding document for on-the-ground
resource protection and recreational development.
In the future, you will be able to link from here to State Parks resource stewardship
action plan, a CAMP overview and list of current CAMP processes, and many more resource
management activities.
Applied Research
Balancing resource use and protection is a constant challenge for park staff, especially
as user numbers increase and lands surrounding parks become increasingly domesticated.
Issues of concern range from monitoring and protecting threatened/endangered species
habitat and cultural sites of statewide significance, to the impacts of snowmobiles on
sub-alpine meadows. The agency is currently working with partners such as other state
institutions and interested stakeholders to help identify practical resource management
approaches to these and other issues.
In the future, you will be able to link from here to current resource stewardship research
initiatives, information on the Scholars in the Parks program and an online application to
conduct research in state parks.
Stewardship Training
State Parks has developed the "Resource Stewardship Certification" program to help park
staff become as proficient as possible in managing the wide range of natural, cultural
and recreational resources under their care. Candidates to the program must complete 144
hours of formal instruction in the following six subjects: eastern Washington ecosystems,
western Washington ecosystems, cultural resources appreciation and protection, historic
preservation, interpretive methods, recreation resources management. Additionally,
candidates must complete an individual project that applies the stewardship principles
learned in training. To date, 42 individuals completed the program.
In the future, you will be able to link from here to completed certification projects.
Volunteer Stewardship
State Parks is developing a Volunteer Stewardship program designed to identify
individuals or organizations that are interested in helping to assist the agency's
stewardship specialists in monitoring and managing significant cultural and natural
resources in state parks. At Mount Spokane, volunteers are assisting with the control
of noxious weeds in the Ragged Ridge Natural Area Preserve, as well as helping to secure
grants for further stewardship projects. Volunteers at Beacon Rock are helping to
evaluate the effects of rock climbing activity on rare plant and peregrine falcon
populations. Interested individuals or parties – especially those with specific areas of
expertise – are encouraged to apply.
Soon, you will be able to learn from this site information on how to participate in the
Volunteer Stewardship program. In the interim, call (360) 902-8613 for details.