Date: 10/27/26 10:14 am From: Bill Tweit via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: [Tweeters] Management of Protection Island and Dungeness NWR
I found the thread on this subject somewhat mystifying for a couple of reasons.
In my experience, I have never seen concerns about single entity control of important resources raised when organizations like Trust for Public Lands, the Nature Conservancy or American Bird Conservancy, or when US presidents through executive orders, announce acquisition of land parcels that are vitally important for conservation of species, or movement corridors, etc. Those announcements tend to be received with relief, even when there has been little or no opportunity for public input.
I've also never seen concerns that the Congressional legislative process effectively excludes public input. Congress does tend to be intolerant of adding provisions for additional public input, outside of the Congressional process, as that tends to shift control over the process into the executive branch. But that isn't silencing the public, it is simply that public input occurs through the Congressional process to maintain Congressional primacy in establishing policy.
Why then, the heightened concern over this proposed action? I ask because single entity control and public process through Congressional action appear to be the fundamental basis of concern of many of the Tweeters posts, and yet, to my knowledge, neither of these has been raised in previous ownership acquisitions. Are there other grounds for concern at this point, given that the legislation is still in pre-draft stage as Steve Hampton notes?
If we, as a birding community, are expecting the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe to meet higher expectations than we hold of other natural resource managers, then I have a problem with that. If we, as a birding community, are interested in tracking the process and providing our thoughts to Congress about policies they should set, then I applaud that. But let's maintain a realistic view, which for myself means a recognition that I won't always agree with all of their actions. Just as I don't always agree with the actions and decisions of other resource managers, whether they are state or federal agencies, or environmental NGOs. Some of the Nature Conservancy management approaches frustrate me, but I still donate money and provide my support to them. Lacking any additional information at this point, I expect similar from Jamestown S'Klallam except that I won't be called on to donate money!
