It’s time to get out to the Elwha River and help Olympic National Park as Park Service staff begin the massive undertaking of revegetating the now empty reservoirs behind the Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams with nearly 400,000 native plants. With only 6 full time staff members, NPS is going to need all the help they can get–cleaning, packing, transporting, and planting native plant starts! So if you are ready to get covered in mud and be instrumental in the recovery of the Elwha River ecosystem, join Olympic National Park this fall and winter and be part of this incredible project.

Event Details

WHAT: This is more than just planting–NPS needs volunteers for a variety of associated tasks. At the nursery, plants need to be cleaned and packed for their journey home. Once they arrive at Lake Mills or Lake Aldwell, they need to be transported (by foot) to planting areas throughout the 600 acres of dewatered reservoirs, and then planted!

WHEN: The park is looking for help beginning Monday, November 5, and planting season will continue through mid-March, 2013, with a break during the month of December. Weekdays are preferred, but a limited number of weekend work parties are available.

WHERE: Former Sites of Lake Aldwell and Lake Mills on the Elwha River, Olympic National Park

WHO: NPCA Volunteers Led by Jill Zarzeczny of the Elwha Revegetation Project, National Park Service

RSVP: If you would like to participate in this historic restoration project, please contact Jill Zarzeczny at Jill_Zarzeczny@nps.gov or 360.565.3047. Let her know what day or dates would work for you, and with what tasks you are interested in helping.

Join us as we help revegetate the Elwha!

Sincerely,

David G. Graves

Northwest Progam Manager