Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Scott Wood | 180413-N-KH214-0001 BOARDMAN, Ore. (April 13, 2018) Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey...... read more read more
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By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Scott Wood, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West, Det. Whidbey Island
OAK HARBOR, Wash. – Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island recently had the distinction of being recognized with the 2018 SECNAV Environmental Award for Cultural Resources Management for a large naval installation.
The award honors exceptional achievements in environmental stewardship among nominated ships, installations and individuals on an annual basis.
The team award for cultural resources management is based upon whether there is a program established, how well the program is being conducted and how improvements have been facilitated to improve the program overall.
“A lot of my time is initially spent making people aware of the program and the importance of it," explained Kendall Campbell, the cultural resources program manager for NAS Whidbey Island. "The more people are aware of it the more our ability to show the community, the state and the tribes that we are dedicated and that we are responsible.”
Campbell went on to clarify that the success of the program is largely dependent upon the relationships established with outside entities such as the local community, the local government and especially local tribes which may have old tribal grounds situated within NAS Whidbey Island’s land management. The historical and archaeological sites spark considerable cultural interest and it is essential to maintain clear communication with interested parties on the status of these sites and how they will potentially be affected by training and construction.
A large part of the award was due to the efforts at NAS Whidbey Island’s Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility (NWSTF) Boardman location in Oregon. The location houses around 47,000 acres of land and is allocated as a special area for training and additional airspace. One quality that makes the NWSTF Boardman range special is the well-known and historical Oregon Trail that runs directly through the site.
NWSTF Boardman also contains a Pleistocene site that has been dated back to 12,000 years ago. With such historical sites, it is a critical task to ensure no unauthorized looting or excavation take place.
“It’s a constant, making sure that we are understanding where the resources are, that we understand what’s happened in these areas in the past as best we can,” Campbell emphasized, clarifying the importance of NWSTF Boardman.
The small team stationed down at NWSTF Boardman also has its plate full with responsibilities in maintaining the range, as Chief Machinist’s Mate Phillip Walker, officer-in-charge of NWSTF Boardman, explained. “My staff here at NWSTF Boardman are the day-to-day managers of the range with respect to training, maintenance, and environmental and cultural activities. They control all access to the range and deconflict competing interests in support of the command’s mission. My command duty officers provide all training units, contractors and visitors with a range access brief to include information specific to the cultural and environmentally sensitive areas of the range.”
NWSTF Boardman and all of NAS Whidbey Island’s ranges take considerable work to manage and maintain.
“There is a lot to that responsibility of just managing those attributes that are on the land and as a federal agency we have that responsibility per law to maintain that, so the burden is on us,” stated Northwest Training Range Complex Program Manager Kent Mathes.
Characteristics of this responsibility that the cultural resources management program displayed are successful consultations on all projects and functions, building of successful relationships, no setbacks or oversights on meeting basic requirements and the ability to plan for projects that show basic standards and go above and beyond.
“Our role as federal land managers is to ensure that we are meeting our obligations under federal regulations," sais Campbell. "All federal lands have to meet certain standards, and stewardship is one of them, along with natural and cultural resources. They all help us to achieve these obligations, which is part of what allows us to win this award. We have met our obligations as a land manager,” Campbell concluded, reiterating the critical role of NAS Whidbey Island's teamwork in creating a successful environmental program that earns its distinction.
| Date Taken: | 04.13.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 04.15.2018 20:24 |
| Story ID: | 273032 |
| Location: | OAK HARBOR, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 349 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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