Natural Area Park in Jefferson County – Public Hearing
by Peter BahlsExecutive Director, Northwest Watershed Instituteand OFCO member If you recall, the Department of... Read More
Conservation advocates since 1989
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Protect | Conserve | Restore
Natural forest ecosystems on the Olympic Peninsula
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Our Mission
Promoting the protection, conservation and restoration of natural forest ecosystems and their processes on the Olympic Peninsula, including fish and wildlife habitat, and surrounding ecosystems
The only way to make things happen is to take action!
You can help the Olympic Forest Coalition save and protect forests and aquatic ecosystems on the Olympic Peninsula.
In our little corner of the world, our beautiful Olympic Peninsula, we have many areas that desperately need protection. Whether it is protecting the remaining old growth forests, the second growth forests, the endangered Marbled Murrelet species, or our pristine rivers/bays, Olympic Forest Coalition is at the forefront of these battles.
We cannot do it alone. We need your help. Any amount you can afford would be helpful to our ongoing programs. We will not inundate your inbox with a barrage of requests because we respect and honor your privacy. However, we will ask you today to donate whatever you can to help us push on and win the battles for the jewel we call home.
OFCO comments and requests hearing on Shoreline Conditional Use proposal
Please click to see OFCO’s comments and addendum below:
MLA20-00124 Shoreline Conditional Use Application Comment OFCO(1)
MLA20-00124 Shoreline Conditional Use Application Comment OFCO Addendum
The Shoreline Conditional Use proposal is of concern because of the deteriorating environment in Quilcene and Dabob Bays, Puget Sound, and the Salish Sea, from cumulative impacts of the commercial aquaculture shellfish industry, climate change, and other polluting industries. The Olympic Forest Coalition (OFCO) joined the comments and concerns of residents Mark Knudsen, et al, with regard to the Dabob Bay Natural Areas, and the Olympic Environment Council, with regard to the impacts of plastic structures on the marine environment. OFCO requested the Jefferson County Department of Community Development not issue the permit as the application does not provide adequate information about environmental impacts, analysis of impacts on species and the natural area, nor mitigation measures. OFCO also requests the Department hold a public hearing.
Connie Gallant, Board President
Chair of the Wild Olympics Campaign, creating wilderness, as well as wild and scenic river designations on the Olympic Peninsula for the protection of our watersheds
Jill Silver, Secretary
Jill Silver (Forks) is a Washington state native who lives and works on the Olympic Peninsula. A watershed ecologist with experience in riparian and aquatic habitat protection and restoration, watershed assessment, and development of watershed-scale invasive species prevention programs, she holds a B.A.S. in Environmental Studies and Sciences from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington.
Peggy Brutton Edwards, Newsletter Editor
With 50 years in Washington, D.C., working as an editorial consultant and environmental activist she is our "go to person" for guidance in building strong relationships and programs in Olympia.
Catharine Copass, Board Member
A National Park Service ecologist with experience monitoring landscape changes and mapping plant communities, her technical and field skills help us develop an independent assessment of the status of state forests.
Karen Sullivan, Board Member
Retired USFWS marine and estuary wildlife biologist in charge of the Service’s national Endangered Species Outreach Program (headquarters office, Washington, D.C.), legislative liaison and Assistant Regional Director for External Affairs (Alaska Region).
Coleman Byrnes, Board Member
Retired fish and wildlife biologist still working part-time for Clallam County, he has a fisheries degree from the University of Washington. Worked on salmon recovery, marine mammals, marine birds, amphibians and terrestrial birds with county, state, federal and tribal entities, as well as for private consultants and educational institutions.
Rae Dean Leatham, Board Member
With a BA in Zoology from University of California and a Masters of Marine Science from Long Island University, New York, her varied skills include scientific research, data analysis and management, land conservation, grant writing and educational materials development.
Fayette Krause, Board Member
Land Steward for The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Washington state for 30 years, focused on the Upper Skagit Basin, southwest Washington, DNR’s Trust Land Transfer Program and the expansion of DNR’s Dabob Bay Natural Area Preserve.
Marcy Golde, Board Member
Volunteering with the Washington Environmental Council (WEC), she has focused on forestry, wildlife and water issues, especially as related to state and private forest lands. She directed a three-year program to implement the Timber, Fish and Wildlife agreement, which she helped negotiate.
Toby Thaler, Board Member
Received his law degree (J.D.) from the University of Washington Law School. A successful advocate for natural resource conservation, he has a wide range of experience in natural resources law and policy, including work with Native American Tribes on the Olympic Peninsula, Seattle City Light, Washington Environmental Council, and Washington Forest Law Center.
Wild Olympics
In May of 2019, Senator Patty Murray and Representative Derek Kilmer re-introduced legislation to establish new Wilderness and Wild and... Read More
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Friends of Dabob Bay and Toandos Peninsula: Protecting the Heritage Forests of the Toandos Peninsula will require the State Legislature... Read More
Learn MoreMarbled Murrelets
OFCO contributed to a joint comment submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Washington Department of Natural... Read More
Learn MoreMilitary training on the Olympic Peninsula
Navy Special Ops Comments Submitted: The Olympic Forest Coalition and the West Coast Action Alliance submitted comments on March 22,... Read More
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922,651 acres
Olympic National Park
628,915 acres
Olympic National Forest
478,325 acres
WA Dept of Natural Resources
2,081,665 acres
Private and Tribal Lands
