We have a few ONRC Evening Talks lined up for the next couple of months. All Evening Talk Programs are set to begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise posted. The events are held at the Hemlock Forest Room at ONRC. The Evening Talks at ONRC are supported by the Rosmond Forestry Education Fund, an endowment that honors the contributions of Fred Rosmond and his family to forestry and the Forks community. In addition to bringing speakers and interesting research out to the ONRC, the series provides a great opportunity for graduate students from the University of Washington to gain experience by presenting their research to the public.

Please join us on July 8 for George Galasso with a presentation on the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary: “What’s going on with Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary — 2016 Programs.”

Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary is one of 14 marine protected areas managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, and the only one in Washington. Following a public process, the sanctuary was designated in 1994.

It covers 3,188 square miles, has 135 miles of shoreline from Cape Flattery to the Copalis River, is adjacent to Olympic National Park, three wildlife refuges, five tribal reservations; and is within the usual and accustomed fishing areas of the four coastal treaty tribes.

The sanctuary works closely with state and federal agencies, tribal governments and has a 21-member Advisory Council, which consists of a diverse group of government and non-government members. Working with the Advisory Council, the public, tribes and government agencies, the sanctuary revised its management plan in 2011. The upcoming Evening Talk will discuss some of our key 2016 resource protection, research and education programs.

George has worked for NOAA since 1982 and has been deputy superintendent for Policy & Programs since the 1994 designation. George has a B.S. in Environmental Resource Management from the College of Environmental Science and Forestry and a Master’s of Marine Affairs from the University of Washington. Since joining NOAA, George has served on three NOAA vessels, piloting vessels through the inside passage of BC and Alaska and participating in research cruises from the Arctic to the South Pacific. He has years of experience in policy analysis, operational planning, data collection and analysis. He is currently involved in implementing the sanctuary’s revised management plan and managing sanctuary resource protection programs.

Refreshments will be served and a potluck of your favorite dessert is encouraged. For more information, contact Frank Hanson at 374-4556 or fsh2@uw.edu.