2009.05.09: May 9, 2009: Headlines: COS - Chad: Environment: Agriculture: Politics: Capital Press: Chad RPCV Claire Dyckman leads environmentalists and farmers in Washington State to beneficial compromises
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2009.05.09: May 9, 2009: Headlines: COS - Chad: Environment: Agriculture: Politics: Capital Press: Chad RPCV Claire Dyckman leads environmentalists and farmers in Washington State to beneficial compromises
Chad RPCV Claire Dyckman leads environmentalists and farmers in Washington State to beneficial compromises
She counts herself fortunate in having a father who had a passionate interest in farming. Even though he was an oilman, he always owned farms, primarily in Alberta, Canada, where farmland stretches from horizon to horizon. "That's probably what gave me a 'big-picture' outlook," Dyckman said. Farmers she works with often mention her "global outlook," which Dyckman attributes to traveling with her family and serving in the African nation of Chad as a Peace Corps volunteer. Teaching environmental science at Huxley College in Bellingham, Wash., and working as agricultural lead for the Puget Sound Water Quality Plan, she had the chance to make valuable contacts with fish advocates and to meet with farmers, cattle raisers and growers.
Chad RPCV Claire Dyckman leads environmentalists and farmers in Washington State to beneficial compromises
Tenacious advocate merges conflicting interests
Dyckman leads environmentalists, farmers to beneficial compromises
Cookson Beecher
Capital Press
King County, Wash. - Claire Dyckman enjoys a reputation among farmers for having the know-how and persistence to bring farmers and bureaucrats together to craft innovative solutions to complex problems.
With a strong background in environmental studies, Dyckman describes the territory that comes with her job as an agricultural and environmental policy developer with the county's Agriculture Program as "anywhere the bulldozer blade meets the dirt."
That means helping farmers and bureaucrats hammer out drainage plans that don't push farmers off the land, strategies that protect fish while also keeping farmers economically viable and solutions to flooding such as elevated farm pads that keep equipment, animals and supplies safe from floodwaters.
For Dyckman, environmentalism is the love of the land, which for her goes hand-in-hand with an appreciation of the bounty that agriculture provides.
"It's not about treating agriculture and the environment as separate worlds," she said.
She counts herself fortunate in having a father who had a passionate interest in farming. Even though he was an oilman, he always owned farms, primarily in Alberta, Canada, where farmland stretches from horizon to horizon.
"That's probably what gave me a 'big-picture' outlook," Dyckman said.
Farmers she works with often mention her "global outlook," which Dyckman attributes to traveling with her family and serving in the African nation of Chad as a Peace Corps volunteer.
Teaching environmental science at Huxley College in Bellingham, Wash., and working as agricultural lead for the Puget Sound Water Quality Plan, she had the chance to make valuable contacts with fish advocates and to meet with farmers, cattle raisers and growers.
In 1992, she was hired as environmental educator in King County's permit department, where she worked with loggers and farmers.
In 1994, when the county embarked on crafting a comprehensive plan, she discovered it wasn't going to consider the agriculture chapter because, as she was told, "none of the staff knows about agriculture."
She quickly set county officials straight on that count, and the county responded by forming an Agriculture Commission, which Dyckman serves as county staff person and liaison.
The commission gives farmers the opportunity to take an active role in land-use decisions and in the development and evaluation of policies, regulations and incentives that can affect commercial agriculture in the county.
Of the 15 commissioners, eight are commercial farmers.
Honey producer Nancy Hutto, current chair of the commission, said Dyckman's contacts with county, state and federal officials make her an extremely valuable asset for King County farmers.
"She's gained our trust," Hutto said. "She has a really good way of working with people. She provides valuable outreach for us."
In 1995, when King County was gearing up to update its sensitive areas ordinance, conflict quickly surfaced between drainage issues and fish.
"Drainage is essential for ag's survival," Dyckman said.
At the same time, she knew farmers could be held liable for harming fish if runoff affected habitat.
As a major player in what became known as the "ag-fish wars," she got fish advocates out to the farms and helped arrange for farmers to learn about the needs of fish.
Another challenge was finding a way to make sure the county's flood regulations wouldn't harm agriculture. Thanks in part to Dyckman's behind-the-scenes persistence, the county passed a flood-pad ordinance.
During the January 2009 flooding in the Snoqualmie Valley, those flood pads, which provide high ground where livestock, equipment, supplies and other items can be safely placed during flooding - proved their worth.
Michaele Blakely, co-owner of Growing Things near Carnation, said she was able to save all of her farm's equipment and animals, thanks to an elevated flood pad on her farm.
"Claire knows how to build bridges between the farmers and the different agencies," Blakely said. "She's tenacious - like a bulldog - in sorting out problems and figuring out solutions that will work for agriculture."
Dyckman said an important part of her job is the ability to move between the public and government to make things happen.
"It's a matter of perspective," she said. "You have to be comfortable with chaos. And you have to have the patience to wait for people to come up with solutions."
Staff writer Cookson Beecher is based in Sedro-Woolley, Wash. E-mail: cbeecher@capitalpress.com.
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