Orcas Islanders spoke, and the state Legislature listened – at least a little.

Program cuts at Moran State Park won’t be as drastic as once feared.

“So many letters and emails went to legislators and the parks agency, that they’ve changed their mind, at least on part of it,” said Linda Sheridan, the interpretive specialist for Moran State Park, who spoke to the Islands’ Sounder as a private citizen. “Everyone helped and it was great. Thank you. You did make a difference.”

Sheridan’s position, along with Moran State Park’s Environmental Learning Center, the Outdoor School, and one of the park rangers who manages the environmental learning center, were slated to be cut under Gov. Christine Gregoire’s proposed 2009–11 budget.

The budget didn’t specify which parks were to be cut, just how many. It’s up to the Washington State Parks agency to provide a list of the locations that do not meet its long-range plan for high quality parks with statewide significance.

The learning center brings about 11,000 people to Orcas annually through private rentals and its outdoor school, which runs for 10 weeks in the spring and six weeks in the fall. Elementary students stay at the park for the duration of the school, where they participate in environmental education. The school opened in 1995.

After receiving a huge protest from Orcas residents, the agency has decided to keep the Environmental Learning Center buildings available to private groups and the ranger position in place, but cut the Outdoor School and Sheridan’s job, effective Sept. 15.

“This is good for Orcas Island. Everyone at the park is really glad,” Sheridan said.

They are now looking to partner with the Friends of Moran to take over the school.

“They would provide the costs of running it and receive revenue from the school. Once it is making money it would go back into the school,” Sheridan said. “This is really good news too.”

But there’s bad news for other Washington state parks.

“The parks commission is going to stick with the first cuts: 13 parks will be transferred and two will be closed down. But they’ve decided to cut deeper,” Sheridan said. “They aren’t saying what the next parks cut will be, but I think it is unlikely that Moran will get cut.

“I would guess that Obstruction Pass might close or be switched back over to the Department of Natural Resources.”

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will hear public comment on proposed 2009-11 budget reductions that could result in park transfers or mothballing at its regular meeting in Olympia next week on Thursday, March 5.

Sheridan is going to Olympia on Tuesday to talk with legislators during Federal State Employees Lobby Day.

For more information about the budget reduction proposal, see the news fact sheet at www.parks.wa.gov/newsreleases/.