BILL REQ. #: H-4298.3
State of Washington | 58th Legislature | 2004 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/06/04.
AN ACT Relating to important bird areas; amending RCW 79.70.020; adding a new section to chapter 79.70 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 Washington state has a rich variety of
birds, wildlife and fish that its citizens and visitors enjoy. With
over three hundred sixty-five bird species, Washington state can use
this natural asset to attract nature tourists from all over the country
and the world. According to a United States fish and wildlife service
report, thirty-six percent of Washington's residents currently
participate in bird watching, and the watchable wildlife industry
brings nearly one billion dollars per year into the state's economy.
The 2003 legislature recognized the economic value of promoting
watchable wildlife and nature tourism when it required the departments
of fish and wildlife and community, trade, and economic development to
host a watchable wildlife and nature tourism conference and write a
statewide strategic plan. The 2002 legislature recognized the value of
identifying and conserving our state's biodiversity for future
generations when it created the biodiversity task force and required a
plan be developed to recommend ways to conserve biodiversity.
Furthermore, over the past fifteen years, the legislature has
recognized the important contributions volunteers and nonprofit
organizations have made in restoring and monitoring salmon and wildlife
habitat. Therefore, it is the goal of the legislature to promote:
Partnerships with volunteers; rural economic development; nature
tourism; and conservation of biodiversity by encouraging partnerships
between state government agencies, volunteers, and nonprofit
organizations to designate and conserve natural assets that attract
nature tourists and bird watchers to Washington's rural areas.
To accomplish this goal, the legislature recognizes the scientific
work by the organization Audubon Washington to use internationally
recognized scientific criteria and protocols to identify, conserve, and
monitor areas of the state that are important for migrating and
resident birds. Scientists, ornithologists, and qualified volunteers
have identified important bird areas. Audubon Washington is working
with other wildlife conservation organizations and their volunteers to
develop mutually agreed-upon bird conservation plans and monitoring
plans in cooperation with public land managers and private landowners.
Volunteers and scientists in more than one hundred countries around the
world have already completed identification of fourteen thousand two
hundred sixty sites that qualify as important bird areas.
Qualified volunteers and scientists have already successfully used
the international criteria to identify fifty-three sites important for
birds in Washington. Following the final round of site selection,
Audubon Washington and volunteers plan to work with landowners,
businesses, and local and state governments to develop plans to
maintain or enhance sites that will then become destinations for nature
tourists to promote rural economic development. Therefore, it is the
intent of the legislature to have Washington participate in the
recognition portion of the important bird area program by directing the
natural heritage program at the department of natural resources to
officially recognize important bird areas.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 79.70 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The program may use information collected by a qualifying
nonprofit organization to recognize important bird areas. The program
should, to the greatest extent possible, coordinate with and use
internationally agreed-upon, scientific criteria and protocols
developed by a qualifying nonprofit organization to officially
recognize these sites throughout Washington.
(2) When the program recognizes an important bird area, that
information will be included in the program's data bank.
(3) The qualifying nonprofit organization that collected the
information used to recognize important bird areas should be available
to work with interested landowners, businesses, and state and local
governments to identify ways to maintain or enhance the important bird
areas.
Sec. 3 RCW 79.70.020 and 2003 c 334 s 548 are each amended to
read as follows:
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter
unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Department" means the department of natural resources.
(2) "Natural areas" and "natural area preserves" include such
public or private areas of land or water which have retained their
natural character, although not necessarily completely natural and
undisturbed, or which are important in preserving rare or vanishing
flora, fauna, geological, natural historical or similar features of
scientific or educational value and which are acquired or voluntarily
registered or dedicated by the owner under this chapter.
(3) "Public lands" and "state lands" have the meaning set out in
RCW 79.02.010.
(4) "Council" means the natural heritage advisory council as
established in RCW 79.70.070.
(5) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of public lands.
(6) "Important bird area" means those areas jointly identified by
the natural heritage program and a qualifying nonprofit organization
using internationally recognized scientific criteria. These areas have
been found to be necessary to conserve populations of wild birds native
to and migrating through Washington state, and contain the habitats
that birds are dependent upon for breeding, migration, shelter, and
sustenance. These sites are then eligible to be considered under this
chapter.
(7) "Instrument of dedication" means any written document intended
to convey an interest in real property pursuant to chapter 64.04 RCW.
(((7))) (8) "Natural heritage resources" means the plant community
types, aquatic types, unique geologic types, and special plant and
animal species and their critical habitat as defined in the natural
heritage plan established under RCW 79.70.030.
(((8))) (9) "Plan" means the natural heritage plan as established
under RCW 79.70.030.
(((9))) (10) "Program" means the natural heritage program as
established under RCW 79.70.030.
(((10))) (11) "Qualifying nonprofit organization" means a national
nonprofit organization, or a branch of a national nonprofit
organization, that conserves and restores natural ecosystems, focusing
on birds, other wildlife, and their habitat.
(12) "Register" means the Washington register of natural area
preserves as established under RCW 79.70.030.