Activity Report Explorer

Polly Dyer – Seattle • Entered by Penelope Peterson on September 30, 2024

Hike to Kukutali Preserve as part of the Deception Pass Regional Broadwalk

June 26, 2024 – June 26, 2024

Key Issue: Public Lands Health & Protection
Activity Type: Education & Outreach (tabling, films & lectures, regional B-walks/works)
Key Partners: Swinomish Tribal Leaders

Short Description of Activity

As part of our Regional Broadwalk at Deception Pass State Park, we organized a hike to Kukutali Preserve, which is located on the Swinomish Reservation. One of our members got two tribal leaders to accompany us on this hike. One of them, Todd, has a PhD in biology and is a member of the six-member advisory board that manages the Preserve. The board has three tribal members and three members representing Washington State Parks. As we hiked, Todd told us the story of how Kukutali came to be the first park in the United States to be co-owned and managed by a tribe and another government. Originally, Kukutali was deeded to one of the Tribal families as part of treaty agreements, but over the years, the family sold it to a private individual. For years, this individual would not allow tribal members to come near the land. Finally, in June 2010, after 100 years of private ownership, the Trust for Public Land decided to acquire the land and give it to the Washington State Parks when the Swinomish Tribe pointed out that the Tribes own all the tidal lands in Washington State, and without access to the tidal lands, no one would be able to get onto Kukutali during high tide. Thus, the Washington State Parks agreed to enter into a co-management agreement with the Swinomish Tribe. This led to the formation of the joint management board, and Todd became a member of the board.

One of Todd’s first initiatives was the renaming of the Preserve. Todd said that the Preserve had a been named by white men, so he proposed the name, “Kukutali” which is Swinomish for “place of cattail mat.” Here, cattail mats were once used as temporary summer shelters by the Swinomish Tribe during clam digs and salmon seining. After the Board agreed to the name change, Todd then designed the symbol for the Preserve which is a wooden piece used to flatten the cattail mat and iron out wrinkles. It has two “heads,” representing the co-management of the Preserve. This symbol is shown in the photos I have attached.

Today the Preserve includes 84 acres on Kiket Island and Flagstaff Point and 9 acres on Fidalgo Island, all of which are located within the Swinomish Reservation. Management of the Preserve focuses on conservation and research, public education and limited recreational use — including hiking.

Our hike took us out onto the island and to the island’s edge where we could see that the Tribe had removed a house that had been built there, and we could look out across the water. The Tribe is engaged in restoring the land back to its original state and planting native plants, etc. They also engage in research on the habitat and ecological environment in the Preserve.

Reflection/Evaluation

This was an amazing experience for all ten of us Great Old Broads who did this hike on Kukutali Preserve. It was inspiring to hear a story in which a Tribe actually “wins” and recaptures the land that they once owned. Todd is an inspiring leader who deserves much praise for the way he has not only renamed and reclaimed the Preserve for the Tribe, but also for how he has conducted research and evaluation to restore the land of Kukutali back to what it once was in the days of his ancestors.

Photos/Uploads

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Photo Captions

1. Swinomish Tribal Leader takes us on a hike to Kukutali Preserve and shows us the wooden cattail mat “iron” that he designed and carved to represent the Kukutali Preserve.
2. Polly Dyer Seattle Broads examine the cattail mat “iron” designed and carved by Tribal Leader, Todd, to represent Kukutali Preserve.
3. Polly Dyer Seattle Broads start out on their hike on Kukuli Preserve.