In the mid 1980s, citizens and Clallam County Commissioners designated 1,444 acres on the Miller Peninsula for open space. Citizens asked Washington state Parks and Recreation (Parks) to adopt the land for a state park.
Parks agreed and recommended to the state Legislature this property be added to a long list of sites to be purchased from the Department of Natural Resources for park lands.
The Legislature concurred.
Soon after, a corporation wanted about half the Miller Peninsula parkland for a major development.
Citizens statewide fought this and succeeded in retaining all the land for a park.
After, Parks and the local public identified additional acreage to be added.
We doubled the park to 2,880 acres, which was financially supported by the Legislature.
Parks is offering a chance for public input about development of this park between Oct. 6 and Oct. 31.
This requires some understanding of the land, which over the years local residents have assessed.
Miller Peninsula State Park is a contiguous forest, rare in scope.
It has unique Douglas fir tree forest status and contains sizable wetlands, rare native plants, unique plant-tree clusters, stands of federally protected naturally regenerative old growth and particular bird flyways.
These features, as well as water availability must be respected before planning can be considered.
With CO2 and drought concerns, the continuity of this forested land should be retained.
Thus Parks should be urged to fully assess the parkland before strategizing development plans.
Walk gently through this space.
Darlene Schanfald
Sequim
EDITOR’S NOTE: Darlene Schanfald is the chair of Friends of Miller Peninsula State Park.