Olympic National Park’s Perspectives Winter Speaker Series is hosted by the North Olympic Library System (NOLS) on Zoom. The free talks begin at 7 pm on the second Tuesday of each month from November through April. Access the Zoom link at nols.org/ONP. No registration required.

The series is sponsored by Olympic National Park, the Friends of Olympic National Park, and the North Olympic Library System.

December 13

Geologic Mysteries of Rialto Beach

Kathy Goetz Troost, Ph.D., L.G.; University of Washington and Shannon & Wilson, Inc.

Kathy Troost will provide a snapshot of methods and findings from a UW-lead study at Rialto Beach. Rialto Beach is one of the most spectacular beaches within the Olympic National Park but it holds many secrets from a wild geologic past including glaciers, landslides, erosion, major wind storms, and earthquakes. Researchers have been trying to find all the puzzle pieces to unlock those secrets. In addition to the geologic history, it’s important to assess how climate change will impact the beach. The team is evaluating rates of erosion using trees, frequency and types of landslides, landslide triggers, and whether or not the land was uplifted during a Cascadia subduction zone earthquake.

Save the date for presentations on January 10, February 14, March 14, and April 11, 2023. Speakers and topics to be announced.