Congressman Dicks and Senator Murray recently held a public workshop in Port Townsend that was centered on a proposal they have drafted for protection of rivers and forests on the Olympic Peninsula.  I was one of nearly 200 Port Townsend residents that attended this workshop and I was very impressed to see such excitement and enthusiasm for preserving what we hold so dear.  
 
This was truly a community gathering including local elected officials, business owners, students and rank and file citizens.
 
Like many others who live on the North Peninsula , the historic removal of the Elwha dams and the slow process of freeing a once wild river was inspiring. The subsequent restoration of that river will one day translate into more fish, wildlife, recreational opportunities and visitors to the region.
 
The Dicks/Murray proposal to protect wild rivers and old growth forests that have endured for centuries will have similar benefits but on a broader scale. In addition to protection, great care has been taken in drawing boundaries of the proposal that do not impact existing or planned access roads for recreation.
 
The two efforts strike me to complement each other perfectly. The Elwha effort is restoring what was once lost while the Wild Olympics is protecting wild and intact ecosystems which we still have as Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers .
 
That makes a lot of sense to me — Restore what we have lost and protect what we have.
 
It is worth noting that protecting pristine rivers and forests before they are at risk is much cheaper than restoration.
 
Sincerely,
 
Lucas Hart
Port Townsend