HomeMy WebLinkAbout062126 email Protection Island___Why now_ how does it benefit the public_ and how does it benefit the wildlife_ALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
June 6, 2026
The Honorable Jefferson County Commissioner Heather Dudley-Nolette
The Honorable Jefferson County Commissioner Heidi Eisenhour
The Honorable Jefferson County Commissioner Greg Brotherton
Dear Jefferson County Commissioners,
Protection Island, which had seen little human disturbance for years following failed farming and other development attempts, provided ideal habitat for the 70% of seabirds nesting east
of Cape Flattery in the Salish Sea. Species such as Pigeon Guillemots, Rhinoceros Auklets, and Tufted Puffins depended on the island's relatively undisturbed environment. These at-risk
seabirds, many of which nest in burrows, are particularly sensitive to human disturbance, which can expose them to increased predation.
In 1974, my grandmother, Eleanor Stopps, together with Fayette Krause of The Nature Conservancy, successfully made the case for The Nature Conservancy to purchase 48 acres on the west
end of Protection Island. They also helped establish the Zella Schultz Washington Seabird Sanctuary in honor of Eleanor's mentor, ornithologist Zella Schultz, who first raised concerns
about the fate of these vulnerable birds after years of research on the island.
Through extraordinary grassroots efforts, supporters from Admiralty Audubon, the organization Eleanor founded, raised $50,000 and acquired 23 privately owned lots to protect them from
imminent development. Additional purchases were made by individuals and other Audubon chapters. Eleanor Stopps, along with Lorna Campion Smith and numerous conservation organizations
and advocates, worked tirelessly to persuade local, state, and federal elected officials—including Washington's entire congressional delegation—to establish Protection Island as a National
Wildlife Refuge through an Act of Congress.
In 1982, the 23 lots that had been individually purchased for conservation purposes were donated to the federal government. The remaining private parcels were subsequently acquired with
the understanding and commitment that Protection Island would remain in public ownership and be managed as a wildlife refuge in perpetuity.
Today, those sensitive seabird species continue to depend on Protection Island and its surrounding waters, making it one of the most important wildlife sanctuaries in the Salish Sea.
Along with Dungeness Spit, Protection Island provides essential habitat for nesting, migration, feeding, and resting. It's remarkable conservation success has been made possible through
cooperative stewardship among the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and, more recently, the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe.
Proposals that would transfer sole ownership and sovereign control of Protection Island raise significant concerns among many citizens and conservation advocates. The proposals do not
explain why such a transfer is being considered now, how it would benefit the public, or how it would enhance protection for wildlife. Such a transfer could reduce longstanding public
oversight and diminish opportunities for public participation in decisions affecting this nationally significant wildlife refuge.
Maintaining Protection Island in public ownership best honors the commitments made when the refuge was established, protects the seabirds and wildlife that depend upon it, and recognizes
the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe's important role as a valued partner in the island's stewardship.
Thank you for your support, Donna Armstrong