Olympic National Park Plans Open House April 16 at Matt Albright Native Plant Center

Date: April 6, 2011

Olympic National Park and the non-profit group Friends of Olympic National Park kick off National Park Week April 16 by hosting a spring open house from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

The event, held at the Matt Albright Native Plant Center, is free and open to the public. Activities planned for the afternoon include staff-led greenhouse tours, poetry, live music and refreshments.

Greenhouse tours will begin at 1:00 p.m.

The native plant center is located in Robin Hill Farm County Park between Port Angeles and Sequim. From Highway 101, take Old Olympic Highway until the Robin Hill sign. Turn right on Vautier Road, then right on Pinnell Road. The native plant center will be on the left.

At 1:15 p.m., award-winning poet Alice Derry will read a number of poems written for the Elwha Valley, in addition to other humorous and moving poems touching on her adventures and experiences outdoors.

Me, Myself & I, the one-man band and musical show by Mike Kampaus, will also perform throughout the afternoon.

Find out more on the Friends' site here: www.friendsonp.org/upcomingevents/plantnurseryapril16.html

Last year, park staff propagated more than 35,000 native plants at the native plant center for revegetation projects throughout the park. Goals for 2011 are even bigger: Olympic National Park plant propagation specialist Dave Allen says the native plant center will propagate more than 60,000 plants in 2011, approximately 25,000 of which will be installed in the Elwha Valley this year as revegetation begins in the the Lake Aldwell and Lake Mills reservoirs.