The Bureau of Land Management is moving into its next steps of management for the San Juan Islands National Monument by crafting an interim management policy.

The policy will provide guidance to inform activities over the next couple of years, while the process of resource management planning is under way.

The BLM will host a series of gatherings to enlist public participation and input in helping to draft the interim policy, beginning May 27, at the Lopez Community Center, 6-9 p.m., followed by a May 28 gathering at the Grange Hall in Friday Harbor (6-9 p.m.), and May 29 at the Eastsound Firehall on Orcas Island (6-9 p.m.).

BLM Spokane District Manager Daniel Picard will join Chris Carlton, district planner, Anjolene Price, planning assistant, and monument employees Nick Teague and Marcia deChadenèdes in hosting the gatherings.

Time will be allotted for group and personal discussion, and a children’s activity table will be offered so that parents have opportunity to participate as well.

While some comments may prove useful for development of the interim policy, others may have a more long-term view and will be retained as scoping comments for the resource management planning process.

All comments will be recorded into the public record and assist in weights and measures of daily decisions for the resources and community interest, according to the BLM.

A draft of the interim policy is available online at the San Juan Islands National Monument website. Paper copies are available by contacting the monument office, (360) 468-3754, or by emailing deChadenèdes, mdechade@blm.gov.

Feedback about the policy is requested by June 20.