Regarding the News-Times’ February legal notice on Island County’s Conservation Futures Program, I strongly question the inclusion of conserving open spaces as public access areas.

Conservation districts promote conserving natural resources on both public and private land. It is one thing to promote public land for public access; it is quite another to promote private land likewise.

King County has passed conservation district rules and recommendations for the preservation of natural resources on both public and private lands. But nowhere in those rules and recommendations is there a call for opening private lands for public access. Nor is there such a call found in state law books.

Maxine Keesling

Woodinville