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San Juan Island National Historical Park General Management Plan — Special Edition Fall 2003 |
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A Message from the |
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Dear Friends,
Greetings from San Juan Island National Historical Park. The American Camp and English Camp units of the park protect buildings, archeological remnants, and stories of the joint military occupation of San Juan Island by the United States and Great Britain from 1859 to 1872. That boundary dispute is perhaps the best-known period in the history of the island. But today we recognize that the park also encompasses a rich environment of prairie, forest, shoreline and sea that cannot be separated from the area's 3,000-year human history.
In the summer of 2002, the National Park Service began the process of writing a new general management plan (GMP) that will help guide management of San Juan Island National Historical Park for the next 15 to 20 years. That planning process is designed to include the general public, our island neighbors, and other interested groups.
Many of you attended public scoping meetings held in Friday Harbor and Seattle during April of 2003 and shared your views. Others sent written comments. We appreciate your participation. In this newsletter, we have summarized the many comments you provided in a way that we hope accurately reflects your ideas and concerns. Your thoughts will assist us in preparing a draft general management plan that will be available for review in the fall of 2004.
If you are reading about our planning process for the first time, we invite you to join us. National Parks have been called the best idea America ever had. The concept of protecting important natural and cultural resources for the public to enjoy is still strong, more than a century after it began in Yellowstone. There is no better way to continue that tradition than to join in deciding the future of this small but wonderful park.
I encourage you use the enclosed form to get on our mailing list. Additionally, you can email me at peter_dederich@nps.gov. You will receive future newsletters by mail and a copy of the draft GMP for review and comment.
Peter Dederich
Superintendent
NPS Receives Public Comment on Management Plan
In March of 2003, the National Park Service (NPS) published a public "scoping" newsletter announcing the beginning of the general management plan (GMP) planning process for San Juan Island National Historical Park (NHP). The purpose of the newsletter was to encourage the public's participation and comments about the significance, purpose, and vision for the San Juan Island National Historical Park GMP. The newsletter provided relevant information about the establishment of the national historical park, need for the management plan, and a schedule of the planning steps. Dates, times, and locations for scoping workshops were also published. Approximately 216 copies of the newsletter were sent to people on the park's mailing list. In addition, approximately 2,500 copies were distributed to libraries, civic buildings, businesses, churches, museums, universities, communities, dignitaries and elected officials.
Public Participates in Meetings and Provides Written Comments
In April of 2003, the National Park Service hosted three public scoping workshops. Presentations were made about the National Park Service, the historic significance of both the American and English camps, an overview of current site conditions, and the planning process. Small group sessions helped people to present and discuss issues, experiences, and ideas for the park. Approximately thirty-nine people attended the two San Juan Island workshops in Friday Harbor, with another four attending the workshop in Seattle.
Eighteen written responses were collected. These included letters, e-mails, and newsletter questionnaires that were filled out and submitted. While most letters came from the local community in Friday Harbor and San Juan Island, several responses were received from nearby Anacortes, the Seattle metropolitan area, and one from out of state.
"The encampment is on the northwestern point in a returned bay, picturesque & serene. A parade ground, block house, pier, store & on the other side of a hill, overlooking the Bell tents & log cabins of the men, the officers quarters & mess room constituted the buildings establishment for the this detachment of some [...] men..." - The 1860 Diaries of the Anglican Colonial Bishop George Hills
Dates for GMP Planning Steps and Schedule
General Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement
| PLANNING ACTIVITY | PUBLIC PARTICIPATION | |
| 1 Gather Data and Establish Goals and Vision | Spring 2003 | Public Scoping Comments |
| 2 Develop Alternatives | Fall 2003 | |
| 3 Prepare and Publish a Draft GMP/EIS | Fall 2004 | Comments on Draft |
| 4 Revise Draft and Publish Final GMP/EIS | Winter 2005 | |
| 5 Begin Implementation | Summer 2005 | |
http://www.nps.gov/sajh/sajhgmp2.htm
Last Updated: 12-Jan-2004