Friends' annual membership meeting will be held on Thursday, March 25 at 7 p.m. in the Olympic National Park Visitors' Center, 3002 Park Ave., Port Angeles. Election results will be announced, new Deputy Superintendent Todd Suess introduced, and our featured speaker will be photographer Don Geyer.
From Seas to Summits - Scenes of the Olympics
Don Geyer will talk about his favorite destinations in Olympic National Park; from the beautiful coast to the highest majestic summits - and everything in between! Don will offer personal recommendations for trips in the park for all seasons and all levels, and hints at how to come away from them with successful photographs.
Mt. Olympus (C) 2009 by Don Geyer
Open House on Ozette Boundary Revision
Thursday, April 1, from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m., Olympic National Park Visitor Center, 3002 Mount Angeles Road, Port Angeles, WA 98362.
Olympic National Park is studying a proposal that would allow for added protection of sockeye salmon habitat at Umbrella Creek near Lake Ozette. This proposal, consistent with the park’s General Management Plan, involves a minor boundary revision that would add approximately 240 acres to Olympic National Park, which currently protects 922,650 acres.
This acreage is located just north of Lake Ozette’s Umbrella Bay, between Lake Ozette and the Hoko-Ozette Road.
The property is currently owned by the Cascade Land Conservancy, which is interested in transferring these lands to the National Park Service (NPS), dependent on NPS funding and the further due diligence process. The Conservancy purchased the property when it was advertised on the open market in March 2008, with the idea of adding it to Olympic National Park.
Perspectives Series
This season’s Perspectives series are held at the Olympic National Park Visitor Center at 7:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month through May. This year’s speakers will offer windows into a wide range of Olympic National Park topics and adventures, from the recent discovery of a fossil sea star near Kalaloch to fish-counting snorkel trips and high-mountain archeology.
All programs will take place at the Olympic National Park Visitor Center at 3002 Mount Angeles Road in Port Angeles. All are offered free of charge and are co-sponsored by the Friends of Olympic National Park. Seating is limited and attendees are urged to arrive early.
“I’m pleased to invite our neighbors and community members to our tenth annual Perspectives series,” said Superintendent Karen Gustin. “And I extend my sincere thanks to the Friends of Olympic National Park for co-hosting these talks with us.”
March 9 – Dam, Salmon, and Nutrients: Freshwater Ecology of the Elwha River Restoration Project Jeffrey Duda, Research Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey Dam removal and restoration of the Elwha River ecosystem raises a host of interesting questions. How will resident fish populations above the dams respond to returning salmon? How will the freshwater ecosystem change, after existing for 100 years without the nutrients provided by salmon? Jeffrey Duda will describe current research projects that are setting the stage for answering these and other questions.
April 13– They Went Where?! Archeology from the River Valleys to the Mountain Tops Kim Kwarsick, Archeologist, Olympic National Park Over the last 25 years, the search for archeological sites has become more sophisticated, expanding into almost every corner of Olympic National Park. These new findings are revealing how Native Americans once thrived in areas now considered remote wilderness. This presentation will discuss what archeologists believe Native Americans were doing at a variety of sites from the high country of the park to the forested river valleys.
May 11 – Lake Ozette Mercury Studies Chad Furl, Washington State Department of Ecology A multi-year study revealed high concentrations of mercury in fish taken from Lake Ozette. How could a remote lake like Ozette be contaminated by elevated levels of mercury? Additional studies have sought clues to explain the elevated levels of mercury and to identify the sources. Chad Furl, Washington State Department of Ecology will present the latest research findings on mercury in Lake Ozette.
March 2010 Elections
Four Friends Board of Directors positions are up for election. Our Nominating Committee proposes these candidates:
Greg Halberg returned to the Olympic Peninsula three years ago after living around the country for the past 15 years. His wife and three young daughters enjoy all the ONP has to offer. He has served on the FONP Board for the past three years, and is currently vice president. Standing for a 3 year position.
Jim Hoare has lived in Port Angeles for all his life, except for four years in the Air Force. He retired in 2008 as an Engineering Representative (technician) with Public Utility District #1 of Clallam County. He is currently a volunteer with Olympic National Park, maintaining the Moments In Time Trail at Barnes Point. 2 year
Dan Peacock, born and raised in Port Angeles, worked for ONP from 1964-1979, retired from Port Angeles School District 2005 and am curently employed by the NPBA as Constuction Superintendent with the Future Builders program. Dan is FONP Treasurer and a Board member. 3 year
Dave Peterson, born and raised in Port Townsand, spent time working on ONP trail crew 1970 & 1971, in construction since 1978 and is curently the carpentry instructor at the North Peninsula Skills Center. 3 year
Ballot will be mailed in the March FONP Newsletter.
Sept. 2009 Great turnout for the Evening in the Olympics! The programs were very well done.
Track the newly released Fishers using this website.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, a partner with the Park on this project, puts out a monthy summary of the fishers' movements. The fisher will be the subject of the March 10 Perspectives presentation. Keep tabs of the website and bring questions to the presentation.
April, 2009
Willie Nelson, Rod Farlee and Jim Tschimperle were elected to full terms at our last annual meeting.
We now have a fully elected board for the first time in many years!
We will be forming committees, so contact Larry Stetson if you would like to take an active role. We will need a refeshment committee among others.
