Deer Lagoon: Stuck Between the Tides without a Plan

The following opinion piece was published in the South Whidbey Record on August 5, 2026 and is reprinted with permission.

Deer Lagoon is an area of natural beauty with an abundance of wildlife, but it needs to be properly managed to preserve its special qualities. Deer Lagoon Preserve is unique because it is a public location with a primary function of protecting and preserving wildlife and their habitat rather than encouraging recreation. A detailed site-specific management plan is needed to fulfill that prime responsibility, and we call on Island County to prioritize the process to adopt a plan for Deer Lagoon Preserve.