The Olympic Natural Resources Center, located near Forks, WA, was created by the Legislature in 1991 to integrate ecological and economic concerns. Administered by the University of Washington, it serves as a catalyst for research and application in support of communities and natural resources on the Olympic peninsula, with specific programs on forestry, harmful algae, salmon restoration, social sciences and science-based adaptive management. The center engages UW campus assets with communities, public agencies and other stakeholders under a rural sustainability model that includes people as part of the ecosystem.