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State parks plan may leave nature lovers out in the cold

Move risks closure of Lake Sylvia, Tolmie, Schafer

By Chester Allen | The Olympian • Published February 24, 2009

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SCHAFER STATE PARK – Few parts of Western Washington are more peaceful than Schafer State Park, 119 acres of lush forest on the East Fork Satsop River north of Elma.

Winter steelhead redds — gravel nests for their eggs — shine on the green, gravelly bottom of the river and rare flying squirrels float like furry Frisbees from tree to tree.

But Schafer State Park — along with Tolmie State Park near Lacey and Lake Sylvia State Park near Montesano — are part of a Washington State Parks plan that could transfer the lands to other government agencies or even shut them down.

The idea of closing or transferring Schafer has spurred neighbors and park users into action.

"Schafer is the only state park I know of with three different salmon runs observable to the public," said Stet Palmer, who grew up in the park as the son of a ranger and now lives on the park border. "Campers leave behind cell phones, generators, television dishes, and the loudest noises in the evening are the river, campfires and the clink of horseshoes."

Palmer and his friends plan to attend a State Parks meeting in Montesano on Thursday night to protest the possible changes in park ownership.

No one in State Parks wants to close down or transfer park lands, but the ever-worsening state budget crunch has the agency in a bind, said Brian Hovis, a planner for the agency.

Parks has been paring headquarters and regional office budgets to meet a $10 million cut for the 2009-11 budget, Hovis said.

That's a 10 percent cut.

Parks already has cut $3.5 million out of headquarters and regional office budgets, and it has come down to reducing parks, Hovis said.

"And the state budget situation is getting worse," Hovis said.

The Thursday meeting will tell people about possible plans to transfer Schafer, Lake Sylvia, Tolmie and 10 other parks to other governments or nonprofit groups, Hovis said.

The public can comment on the proposals.

Then, the state Parks and Recreation Commission will look at the information and make a decision.

"This is not a done deal; the commission hasn't taken action," Hovis said.

Mike Sinclair, another Schafer State Park neighbor, said closing the park would leave a natural treasure — the park is one of the 13 original state parks — at the mercy of vandals.

Sinclair's father was a ranger at the park for years.

"We're 45 minutes away from police response," Sinclair said. "And this is the only place on the East Fork Satsop River with public access for anglers."

Many anglers fish at Schafer for wild resident and sea-run cutthroat trout and winter steelhead, Sinclair said.

Arnold Hampton, who is Schafer State Park's current ranger, said vandals will start carving at the park if there isn't anyone on site to scare them off.

Schafer also is where volunteers from the Satsop Springs Hatchery collect salmon eggs, Palmer said.

People from throughout Washington and the Northwest come to Schafer to relax, fish, camp and watch wildlife.

Schools bring children to watch wild coho, chinook and chum salmon spawn in the fall, Palmer said.

Palmer said volunteers are ready to step in and help run Schafer State Park, but transferring it to another agency or shutting it down is unthinkable.

"Parks wants another government or nonprofit agency to take over the park," Palmer said. "Who has any more money or expertise than the state?"