Editor,

After reading “Board explores reserve’s message” in the Feb. 19 edition of The Examiner, I was disheartened to see that after the reserve’s 37 years of existence, the trust board is focusing its limited staff and funding resources on “What exactly is a reserve?”

Really? With all of the important and exciting work that could be happening in the reserve, to continue the tired discussion of what is a reserve and what is a park is disappointing. Congress, not local citizens or congressmen, actually established the reserve in 1978 for the American people, for our nation to learn about Pacific Northwest history still visible in the land and in the historic structures.

Visitors come from all over the world to see this 19th century landscape that has (for the most part) gracefully survived into the 21st century. It surely was a new kind of National Park Service unit, and its management structure reflects the public/private cooperation that defines this unit.

This reserve is a special place with unique needs and opportunities, but it remains threatened.

The provincial discussions on what is a reserve and what is a park need to end. It is non-productive. What is the motivation behind these discussions? Since its creation, the reserve has lost farmlands to development and historic buildings to demolition or alteration. Instead of this wheel-spinning discussion of what is a reserve, wouldn’t it be great to read about the new programs and events and initiatives the trust board is working on to ensure the natural, cultural, scenic and recreational resources of the reserve will be there for future generations?

What if the Trust Board started planning for the reserve’s 40th anniversary, which is just around the corner (three years)? What about replacing and updating the deteriorated interpretive panels throughout the reserve? What if they worked on enhancing existing conservation programs that help ensure the reserve’s significant resources remain? What if partnerships were created or expanded with the chamber and local businesses to take advantage of the tourism dollars that flow into Central Whidbey because it is an NPS unit? What if the reserve engaged youth so it would have its future stewards?

There is so much meaningful work that needs to be done here. The American public needs to know the reserve is on a steady and productive course into the future with the trust board at the helm. Spending time on these tired old conversations that masquerade as action is frivolous.

Gretchen Luxenberg

Coupeville