06/07/2026
๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ก๐๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐จ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐'๐๐ฅ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ ๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฌ
At the last Board meeting, we briefly discussed the news that Rep. Emily Randall, at the request of the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, will sponsor legislation to transfer ownership of the Dungeness and Protection Island National Wildlife Refuges from the US Fish and Wildlife Service to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, to be held in trust for the tribe (this is the usual legal construct for Native reservations). Thus the Tribe would take over management of these lands.
The Tribe is currently co-managing the two refuges with the USFWS under a two-year arrangement.
Last fall, Audubon Washington arranged an all-day meeting and site visit at Dungeness Spit to discuss refuge management and bird conservation issues. Many chapters were present, as well as federal, state, and local seabird experts (e.g. Tom Good of NOAA, Scott Pearson of WDFW, and Peter Hodum of UPS.) I attended on behalf of Rainshadow Bird Alliance. It was apparent that the Tribe was doing most of the work - with Tribal members serving in most roles, including Fawn Wagner as refuge manager. I found her to be a knowledgeable biologist and an energetic motivator of both her staff and volunteers. The Tribe has expended its own funds to address deferred maintenance, including much-needed repairs to the dock and road on Protection Island. At the time of our meeting, they were focused on marshalling a team of a hundred volunteers to fight an invasion of green crabs, which threaten the eelgrass beds in Dungeness Bay.
Regarding the proposed land transfer, the primary concerns expressed by the Board are continued public access (at Dungeness Spit) and the protection of natural resources. Rainshadow Bird Alliance was originally founded (as Admiralty Audubon) largely to protect the large Rhinoceros Auklet colony and other birds nesting on Protection Island. The Tribe, obviously, has an even longer history with the sites.
Presently, there is no draft of the legislative proposal available to the public. The Tribe has described it in general terms: "The proposed legislation would require the Tribe to continue to provide public access and educational opportunities, and to maintain a publicly available management plan." They also state that "transfer of the refuges would provide consistent management despite changes to federal policies and funding." For example, no commercial development would be allowed.
Likewise, Rep. Randall has promised that she will work "to ensure that any land transfer continues to safeguard public access and protects these areas for generations to come."
The Rainshadow Board will await the written details.
- Steve Hampton, Conservation Chair
