National Park Service Grant: Continued Cooperative Management of Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve

Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve is a unique unit of the National Park System encompassing a complex mix of public and private lands and interests. Through the Interlocal Agreement the four cooperating partners in the Reserve, the National Park Service, Island County, Washington State Parks and the Town of Coupeville (Reserve Partners) have agreed to assign administration of the Reserve to a nine member Trust Board representing the interests of each of the governmental partners. It is the first NPS unit to be authorized to delegate the management of NPS acquired lands to another governmental entity.

The Trust Board employs a Reserve Manager and staff to oversee the day to day operation of the Reserve. NPS employs staff to provide technical assistance to the Trust Board as authorized on P.L. 95-625. A General Management Plan and EIS for the Reserve was completed in 2007 that outlines broad management, operational and development goals for the Reserve over the next 15-20 years, including shared staffing and operational responsibilities.

The Cooperative Agreement (CA) is entered into by and between the Trust Board of Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve (Trust Board), a unit of local government, and the United States of America, acting through the National Park Service (NPS), for the purposes of continuing the transfer of management and administration over NPS owned lands and interests in land at Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve, together with related program functions, to the Trust Board.

The National Parks and Recreation Act, Public Law 95-625, Section 508 (a) (92 Stat. 3507), November 10, 1978, established Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve and provided for the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to transfer management and administration over all or any part of the property acquired under subsection (d) of the law to the State or appropriate unit of local government, pursuant to cooperative agreement.

Following the enactment of the necessary ordinances to protect the historic and rural character of the public and private lands within Ebey’s Landing National Reserve, the National Park Service, under prior cooperative agreements, did transfer management responsibility over NPS lands and interests in lands as called for in Public Law 95-625. This agreement reflects the continuation of that transfer of responsibilities and the mutual commitment of both parties to cooperate and collaborate in the management of the Reserve. Such cooperative derives from management planning, land protection efforts, and the development, and implementation of programs, actions and activities that promote the protection, preservation and appropriate enjoyment of the Reserve’s resources while recognizing the interests, values, and aspirations of the local community.

The Interlocal Cooperation Act (Chapter 39.34 RCW) permits local governmental units to enter into joint powers agreements with each other. An Interlocal Agreement for the Administration of Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve was signed in 1988 by the Town of Coupeville, Island County Commissioners, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, and the NPS for the joint administration and management of the Reserve.