"Get and Keep Your Neighbors Involved"
Schlee Ranch dedication
Speaking points for Jeffrey Koenings, Ph.D., WDFW Director
May 14, 2004

The landscape before you has been our number one priority for the protection of both fish and wildlife for a long time. This addition to Asotin Creek Wildlife Area helps us address locally identified watershed management problems by connecting state and federal lands so we can manage the mid and upper reaches of this watershed more cohesively for endangered spring Chinook salmon, threatened steelhead and bull trout, Rocky Mountain elk, as well as other fish and wildlife species, some of which maybe less charismatic than salmon and elk (and less tasty), but no less important.

From the start, this project has been an excellent example of how state, federal, local, and private entities can work together to solve complex natural resource issues. This success reminds me of a second marriage where there is a triumph of hope over history.

Together, we focused on a desired outcome no matter how complex and convoluted the process became.

We were only able to make this acquisition by combing Bonneville Power Administration fish and wildlife mitigation funds, grants from the state's Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a donation from the non-profit conservation group Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and of course a willing landowner. (the Schlee Family).

We have representatives from each of these groups here today to celebrate this milestone with us, and you'll hear from them shortly.

But first I want to acknowledge and specifically recognize the support of others, some here today, some not, including the Asotin County Commission, Nez Perce Tribe, Umatilla National Forest, Congressman George Nethercutt, Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society, Inland Northwest Wildlife Council, Asotin County Sportsmen Association, Asotin County Historical Society, Whitman County Sportsmen Association, Snake River Sportsmen and Gun Dog Association, other fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing groups and individuals, and, of course, our neighboring landowners.

We realized when we set out to secure this property that we needed to involve all of you in the local community in the process. We wanted you to know what we intended and to understand that we want to be a good neighbor. That's why we ask your continued involvement in developing a management plan for this property - a plan that will address potential recreational uses and restrictions, fencing, grazing, CRP enrollment, and whatever else is needed to meet our goal of sound stewardship of this critical watershed and the critters there on.

That stewardship takes all of us, and includes both public and private land ownership and management. We're trying to do our part by focusing on conserving only the most critical habitat and contiguous parcels in watersheds.

That's why when Mrs. Bickford, for example, came to us about selling her property adjacent to the eastside unit of this wildlife area, we pursued it. You can see on the map how that parcel is a natural link to the other lands we manage.

But our ownership, or management through conservation leases with private landowners, of critical fish and wildlife lands at best can only be a foundation for a statewide network that includes a healthy balance of private and public lands. The phrase "toward balance" characterizes our approach - a balance between private and public lands, but also to be sure, a balance between the needs of people and those of fish and wildlife, and a balance between addressing today's needs with those of future generations.

We want to make progress on these complex resource issues by working with our neighbors - individuals, businesses, community groups, local and state and federal governments to balance their needs with our own.

I think what we are celebrating here today is an excellent example of "walking the talk" of balance and I applaud those here today for helping make this possible.

Thank you for your passion and support for fish and wildlife.

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