Olympic Natural Resources Center

http://www.onrc.washington.edu/

Mission

Our mission is to develop widely applicable methods and systems to revitalize the environment and rural communities, by connecting and integrating people with the forests, rivers, and coastlines of Washington that local and state residents love and depend on. The Olympic Peninsula, and the Olympic Experimental State Forest in particular, provide a natural laboratory for developing this human-ecosystem perspective. The new goal is to develop optimal levels of ecosystem wellbeing that can be sustained through time through community engagement and field studies and experiments that evaluate innovative win-wins for both community and environment wellbeing. The Olympic Natural Resources Center is located on the Olympic Peninsula in Forks, Washington.

Core Activities Offered

Research, development, application, and education on ecosystem sustainability, including environment and community wellbeing, innovation and experiments in forest management, salmon restoration and harmful algal blooms; Conference Center (see ONRC web page for links).

Funding Information

State of Washington (Commerce, RCO, Legislative earmarks – General fund), Coast Salmon Partnership, City of Forks, USDA Forest Service, Rosmond fund, Port of Port Angeles (2019), Conference Center revenue

Reporting Structure

ONRC Director reports to SEFS Director

Related UW Entities

School of Marine and Environmental Affairs (social science research), School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean, School of Oceanography, and Washington Sea Grant  (harmful algae), UW Botanic Gardens and Center for Campus Sustainability (ethnoforestry), College of Built Environment, Departments of Architecture (cross-laminated timber) and Urban Design and Planning (scenario planning)

External Partners

Washington Dept. Natural Resources, USDA Forest Service, NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science, Grays Harbor College, Port of Port Angeles, City of Forks, Olympic Forest Collaborative, Oregon State University, Peninsula College, Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship, Makah Indian Nation, Quileute and Hoh Tribes, WA Dept. Fish and Wildlife, WA Dept. Health, Sound Toxins