The Wild Olympics Campaign has been developing its proposal to protect watersheds on the Olympic Peninsula since 2008. Since then we have been committed to soliciting feedback from local stakeholders, educating the public through local public workshops, the media and the Campaign’s web site.
2008
- January - A working group of conservation and recreation groups forms to develop a campaign to protect Olympic Peninsula’s watersheds
- May - The Olympic National Park finalizes their General Management Plan which considered an 86,000 acre park addition but ultimately recommended a 16,000 acre addition using a “willing seller’ mechanism
- September - Campaign organizes “Celebrate the Wild Olympics” event in Jefferson County to educate membership and get initial feedback on developing proposal
2009
- June - Campaign develops a draft vision including 160,000 acres of wilderness additions and 550 miles of Wild and Scenic rivers on Olympic National Forest and 64,000 acres of willing seller park additions
- September - Campaign initiates 10 public workshops to discuss draft vision and solicit local feedback. More than 200 individuals attended the events which were held in all four counties of the Peninsula as well as Bremerton and Tacoma
- October thru June, 2010 - The Campaign reached out to local stakeholders, resource owners and user groups on the Peninsula to solicit feedback and adjustments to the draft vision. More than 200 meetings took place with local Tribes, timber companies, local elected officials, conservation and recreation groups backcountry horsemen, mountain bikers, businesses owners, shellfish growers, farms, sport and commercial fishermen, community leaders and other local residents
2010
- July - Wild Olympics web site is launched soliciting public feedback on new discussion draft map proposing 134.000 acres of wilderness additions and more than 450 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers on Olympic National Forest and 37,000 acres of wiling seller park/preserve additions. This new draft proposal reflects modifications from previous 11 months of stakeholder feedback process. A press release is sent to all peninsula media outlets
- July thru Present - Campaign continues to reach out and respond to local stakeholder feedback from 7/10 proposal with intent of addressing issues. Numerous changes are pending to draft proposal map as a result
- September - Campaign members tour municipal watershed with City of Port Townsend officials to address issues raised pursuant to web site launch
2011
- April - Campaign holds public workshop in Grays Harbor County to inform community and collect public input to shape draft plan for Grays Harbor’s recreation, access and economic needs
