Cherry Valley, Stillwater, Cresent Lake and Ebey Island

[John B]

I took my dog out to Cherry Valley yesterday. The entire area is covered in 6' high grass, except for the small areas that have been plowed and planted. Ebey Island area was blocked off. The bigger area to the east had a nesting bird sign at the entrance under the trestle, and eco blocks with private property signs at the other parking lot . The area to the west was gated and chained off with no dogs signs.

[Happy Gilmore]

I took my dog out to Cherry Valley yesterday. The entire area is covered in 6' high grass, except for the small areas that have been plowed and planted. Ebey Island area was blocked off. The bigger area to the east had a nesting bird sign at the entrance under the trestle, and eco blocks with private property signs at the other parking lot . The area to the west was gated and chained off with no dogs signs.

You were probably the lone car I saw when I drove by about 5? That's the problem I've been fighting with WDFW about. As I've written, I have evidence they intentionally allow the land to become unusable to keep people from using the property. I raised money to pay to have the property mowed. People started using it. People use it, there will be a few folks who litter. There will be a conflict or two. How in the world can we close it down to all because of one? That is the mentality. I'm pretty sure I've made some progress and people and policy will be changing. I've been told specifically that the current management has not done their job and they are not focusing management efforts properly.

[Happy Gilmore]

I'm wondering why Big Tex ALWAYS chimes in on topics regarding WDFW however, he is completely silent on this issue?

[Special T]

He normally just chimes in and makes clarification statements on law or how things work. You mab doing too in dept of a job for him to be needed. 

[Happy Gilmore]

I wasn't complaining just had to put a  into it. However, I've brought up questions about the legal abilities of the WDFW to close a property purchased with funds from a federal act which was specifically written to "provide outdoor recreation opportunities to future generations" and the law was clear that the type of recreation which was chosen should not matter. Of course, when the salmonoid people become involved they think they own public land after they dig out a creek and put some dead stumps around it.

(sideline note: during the course of the study to find entrapped salmonoids on the property, hundreds of hours of survey was conducted on all the ponds and ditches. A total of 5 fish were found in a couple hundred hours according to one report submitted with the permit application)