Conservancy Praises Congress for Ebey’s Stewardship
Bill provides long-term stewardship for land at the heart of the historic reserve
SEATTLE, WA — December 21, 2007 — Seattle Congress took action this week that will provide for long-term stewardship of lands at the heart of Ebey’s Landing Historical Reserve on Whidbey Island.
The appropriation allocates $492,000 from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to the National Park Service to protect the rural character of 35 acres surrounding the 150-year-old Ferry House at Ebey’s Landing. The appropriation is included in the year-end spending bill that passed the House and Senate December 19. President Bush has indicated that he will sign the bill.
The funds will enable the Park Service to purchase the 35-acre easement from the Conservancy to maintain the property’s current rural use, thus serving the Park Service goal of preserving the historic working landscapes in the reserve. The Conservancy, as seller of the easement, will use all the funds it receives to establish an endowment for long-term ecological and historic stewardship at the reserve. The Conservancy has already dedicated $100,000 to this fund.
The Conservancy praised U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Lake Stevens) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Washington), as well as U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Tacoma), and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) for their strong support of this effort.
“The people of Washington are fortunate to have leaders in Washington, D.C. who understand the importance of our natural and cultural heritage, and act to protect it,” said David Weekes, director of The Nature Conservancy in Washington. “The support of these senators and representatives has been crucial for creating and sustaining this historical reserve.”
“I’m thrilled to be able to announce this funding for Ebey’s Landing,” Murray said. “Today’s investment will help preserve and protect this scenic area for future generations to enjoy.”
“This funding will help preserve land at the heart of Ebey's Landing, one of Washington state’s natural and historic treasures,” said Larsen. “I applaud Senator Murray, Representative Dicks, and the great team of local residents and leaders, including The Nature Conservancy, for their work to protect this unique community for generations to come.”
Reserve Manager Mark Preiss noted that Ebey’s Landing was the first historic reserve established as part of the National Park System, and will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2008. “Today, through the leadership of Washington’s congressional delegation, Congress has reinvested in preserving that history for the next generation, by providing for continued stewardship for generations to come,” he said.
This congressional appropriation is the last step of a multi-year campaign to protect a keystone area of Ebey’s Landing Historical Reserve. The campaign began with a generous bequest by Robert Pratt in 1999. He specified in his will that a nonprofit land conservation group receive 147 acres of his land, including the famous bluff at Ebey’s Landing, a privately held but publicly loved headland laced by one of the Northwest’s most popular coastal trails. The estate selected The Nature Conservancy as the recipient.
Another 407 acres of the Pratt Estate, however, were going to be sold on the open market if the Conservancy did not step in. The bulk of that land includes a mature coastal forest that flanks the bluff and commands dramatic views of Admiralty Inlet. Development would have destroyed the bluff’s lonely, windswept feel and harmed its ecological value. The Conservancy raised more than $2 million and borrowed additional funds to purchase the $5 million property.
Of those 554 acres, 411 acres have been sold, donated, or transferred at below-market value to the National Park Service. The Conservancy has donated land or easements valued at more than $2 million to the National Park Service.
To date, Congress has protected over 1,750 acres at Ebey’s Landing using proceeds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The LWCF, created in 1965, allocates royalties paid by private companies for the privilege of developing offshore oil and gas resources to protect land and water for recreational uses, open space and wildlife habitat.
Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve: Created by Congress in 1978, the reserve is a 17,000-acre expanse of farmland, waterfront and forest in central Whidbey Island. Much of it is privately owned, including the historic town of Coupeville. But it also includes Fort Ebey and Fort Casey state parks and other publicly owned lands. To ensure that the reserve’s heritage is protected for future generations, the National Park Service has purchased development rights to key sites.
Though most national park units are managed by a superintendent, the Reserve is managed by a nine-member Trust Board comprised of representatives from four units of government Town of Coupeville, Island County, state and federal, for the ongoing protection of the historic landscape.
The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.
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