News Release

Nature Matters: Oregon’s Lost Sea Otters

The symbol of the otter is used by the Elakha Alliance

Elakha Alliance

News Release Date: December 21, 2020

Contact: Kayla Fermin, 503-861-4444

It is hard to appreciate the cultural importance and ecological significance of a species that disappeared from Oregon’s coastal waters over a century ago. What has the loss of sea otters meant to Oregon’s indigenous peoples? What does their absence mean to the health of nearshore ecosystems? What might be gained from the return of sea otters to Oregon?

Join Peter Hatch and John Goodell, from the Elakha Alliance, as they discuss the history and possible future of sea otters in Oregon. The 7 p.m. presentation takes place January 14^th online via Facebook Live on Fort George Brewery’s Facebook page.

Peter Hatch is a member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians and works in the tribe’s Cultural Resources office. Peter is the son of the late David Hatch – the co-founder of the Elakha Alliance. John Goodell is a conservation biologist and former museum curator with a background in science communication and natural history interpretation. 

Nature Matters, a lively conversation about the intersection of nature and culture, takes place on the second Thursday of each month from October through May. This Nature Matters presentation is hosted by Lewis and Clark National Historical Park in partnership with the North Coast Watershed Association, the Lewis & Clark National Park Association, the Fort George Brewery + Public House and Friends of Cape Falcon Marine Reserve.  

For more information, call the park at [phone]