National Park Week
You're invited to celebrate National Park Week at Olympic!

The theme of National Park Week 2009 is community service, making this year's Washington Coast Cleanup on April 18 an excellent way to kick off the week, and to celebrate Earth Day. This annual event brings hundreds of community volunteers from across Washington state to collect and remove marine debris from Washington's beaches.

On April 25, Olympic will celebrate National Junior Ranger Day at the Olympic National Park Visitor Center. Children of all ages are invited to bring their favorite adult and come to the National Junior Ranger Day celebration on Saturday, April 25 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles.

Two Rangers Awarded the Clallam County Sheriff's Office Meritorious Service Award
Clallam County Sheriff Bill Benedict recently honored Rangers Mark O'Neill and Mike Danisiewicz with Meritorious Service Awards, recognizing them for their brave and selfless assistance to the county following a tragic drowning on the Sol Duc River in November 2006. 

Benedict recalled the "very courageous and professional manner" in which O'Neill and Danisiewicz worked, "after all other efforts were exhausted," to recover the 20-year old drowning victim from the flood-stage river.   

Read full text of award.

Coming Soon ....

April 14 - Perspectives Series Talk: Fire History of Geyser Valley 7:00 p.m. at Olympic National Park Visitor Center Masters Student Reed Wendel has spent the past two years reconstructing fire history by analyzing tree-ring scars. Join Reed in a discussion about the interactions between fires and forests in a well-known portion of the Elwha River Valley.

April 17 - Wilderness Packing Workshop near Elwha Ranger Station 
This one-day workshop will showcase techniques for using stock in the Olympic National Park wilderness. Space is limited, so interested persons should register in advance with the park's animal caretaker and packer Claire Donato at 417-9231.
Details.

April 18-26 - National Park Week (see article above)

May 1 - Hood Canal Bridge will close for six weeks for major repairs, but the park and Olympic Peninsula will remain open for exploration and enjoyment. Read more.

Work Progressing on Elwha Construction Projects; Ever Closer to Dam Removal
Two major construction projects, both part of the Elwha Restoration Project, are continuing to progress well in preparation for dam removal and river restoration.

The Elwha Water Facilities (EWF) and the Port Angeles Water Treatment Plant (PAWTP; pictured) will protect the industrial and drinking water supply for Port Angeles-area users from the increased sediment load the river will carry during and after dam removal.

The PAWTP is scheduled for completion late this coming fall, while construction of the EWF is approximately one year ahead of schedule, with completion anticipated in February 2010.

The Elwha River Ecosystem Restoration project is our nation’s largest dam removal to date and one of the largest construction projects in the history of the National Park Service. Read more.

What Do You Think?
Every year, staff at Olympic develop and analyze a variety of project proposals.  While staff members are responsible for preparing environmental documents and making the final decision, we rely on members of the public to provide thoughtful input, fresh ideas and new perspectives.

The following proposal is now open for public review and comment.

Replacement of Griff Creek Culvert
The park is proposing to restore access for bull trout and other fish to Griff Creek through the replacement of a fish-blocking culvert under the Olympic Hot Springs Road. Open for comment through April 1.  More.

Visitation Update
Through the end of February, Olympic recorded a total of 216,794 recreation visits.  February's visitation represents a 22 percent increase over February 2008 when a number of park roads were closed by storm damage. 

For more information, and monthly visitor use updates, check the National Park Service NPS Stats website.