Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
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Steptoe Butte and Steptoe Battlefield state parks will be the subject of a State Parks classification meeting in Colfax next week.
Steptoe Butte and Steptoe Battlefield state parks are the focus of Classification and Management Planning by Washington State Parks, beginning with a meeting next week in Colfax.
The process, known as CAMP for short, will study the two parks in three areas, land classification, long-term boundary and narrative management.
State Parks will kickoff the project with a public workshop Tuesday, March 7, at the Colfax library from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Land classification is similar to zoning, in which areas of a park are classified for historical and/or cultural significance, environmental sensitivity and more. The long-term boundary plan looks at whether parts of a park may be surplussed or transferred over the long-term – or if surrounding private land adjacent to a park may be subject to inclusion depending on landowner's interest.
The narrative part of the management plan refers to whether, and where, certain activities are allowed or not allowed. An example for Steptoe Butte would be hang-gliding.
This will be the first CAMP study for the two local state parks. Across Washington, the CAMP studies have catalogued more than 100 state parks since the '90s.
The Colfax meeting will kickoff the estimated 10-15 month process for Steptoe Butte and Steptoe Battlefield, which is in Rosalia.
“It's always an opportunity for us to have a dialogue with people about park issues,” said Randy Kline, Parks' spokesman. “That's the goal of this first meeting.”
The process will continue with two more public meetings this year. Ultimately the plan will be sent to the State Parks and Recreation Commission for approval.
Following the Steptoe area planning, the next parks up for CAMP will by Lyons Ferry, Palouse Falls and Lewis & Clark Trail state parks. Those processes will begin as the Steptoe work is underway.
Washington State Parks' often bunches its properties together in a district to study at the same time.
The CAMP planning process will include the public workshops and provide web-based information and public comment opportunities.
More information can be found on the Steptoe project website at http://bit.ly/SteptoePlan.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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