An independent study by a Bainbridge Island researcher suggests there is no connection between man-made alterations to the shoreline and the quality of the resulting ecosystem — a result local property rights advocates believe buttresses their claim that the county’s environmental restrictions exceed the bounds of objective science.

In a report titled, “Evidence of Near-Zero Habitat Harm from Nearshore Development,” Dr. Donald Flora concluded bulkheads constructed along the shoreline do not affect wildlife or vegetation.

“None of the supposed stressors has demonstrated a significant effect on habitats,” Flora said in his report, adding that the “human-built stressors can be eliminated from the list of those actually affecting habitats.”

After finishing the report, Flora brought it to the attention of the Kitsap Association for Property Owners (KAPO), of which he is a member.

KAPO interpreted the findings to support its position that owners of shoreline land should be allowed greater control over their property.

A KAPO press release issued on Thursday stated, “Without clear scientific justification, the Kitsap County commissioners must resist the pressure of environmental groups and the state to use the shoreline management process (SMP) to arbitrarily strip people of the ability to use their land.”

Kitsap County is in the process of developing new SMP guidelines, for which it is soliciting public input.

Flora’s report will provide some of this.

Kitsap County Department of Development Director Larry Keeton said he had not yet read the report.

He did not dispute its conclusions, but said that the county commissioners needed to provide guidelines as to how the information will be used.

Keeton said the report was the result of “citizen science,” for which there are no acceptance guidelines, and that would need to be submitted to the Department of Ecology and other state agencies for proper vetting.

“We do not yet know how the report was assembled and how the data was collected,” Keeton said. “People can pass around information and call it science, so we need to know whether it meets all the criteria of a truly scientific report and how it compares with the other reports that are already completed.”

Keeton said he did not know who would be responsible for funding the vetting of the study, but speculated that it would not be the county’s responsibility to do so.

Flora, a retired Forest Service employee, said he had no argument with the “citizen science” label.

He said he completed the report on his own time and without sponsorship from any group, and did so “without leaving my desk.”

Accordingly, he did not gather is own data but interpreted information that was gathered by the Battelle company.

This data was assembled at 201 points around Bainbridge Island an eastern Kitsap County.

Battelle is one of the corporations cited by Keeton as reputable.

Keeton professes to have an open mind, but said responsible land-use regulations do not allow property owners to do anything they want with their land.

“Land use is not capricious,” he said. “Restrictions are designed to prevent your neighbors from infringing on your rights.”