PORT ANGELES — Before his death in 2007, Harry Lydiard — a veterinarian and one-time Clallam County commissioner — left a legacy of land that still influences one local nonprofit.
“Harry has conserved more acres than any other individual with North Olympic Land Trust,” said Tom Sanford, land trust executive director.
“Harry’s dedication to maintain our region’s natural resources and his efforts to keep those resources available for future generations has helped shape the land trust’s overall appreciation for both working and wild lands.”
The land trust will honor Lydiard’s legacy at the organization’s 28th annual meeting from 9:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday at the Port Angeles Library, 2210 S. Peabody St.
The event is free and open to the public; RSVPs are encouraged and can be made at www.northolympic landtrust.org/event/annual-meeting-2018.
More than 300 acres of timber and farmland conserved with North Olympic Land Trust are a lasting reflection of Lydiard’s land ethic, land trust members said.
“With the encouragement of John Willits, one of the land trust’s most enduring leaders, Harry seemed to find permanent land conservation a perfect fit for his dedication to the community, as well as local lands for planting trees, growing food and providing habitat,” said Robbie Mantooth, a friend of Lydiard’s.
“He took an active role in community meetings that sought to define what kind of improvements local residents wanted and won Port Angeles a national title as an ‘All-American City.’ ”
In recognition of Lydiard’s impact on the land trust and local landscape, land trust officials will posthumously honor him with the Gary Colley Legacy Award on Saturday.
Named after its Founder Gary Colley, the annual award is presented to those instrumental to the evolution of North Olympic Land Trust. Past award recipients include John Willits, founders of Friends of the Fields and land trust Jim and Robbie Mantooth, and the land trust all-volunteer stewardship crew.
“Without these individuals, the land trust wouldn’t be the organization that is it today,” Sanford said.
Lydiard’s children continue to partner with the land trust to steward the lands their father conserved, including a property just east of the Elwha River that the Olympic Discovery Trail passes through.
Another property, known as the Bell Farm is forever available for agriculture thanks to Lydiard, land trust officials said.
Today, farmers with Nash’s Organic Produce utilize Bell Farm.
At the meeting community members can hear about upcoming projects, recent successes and challenges surrounding local land conservation. Attendees are encouraged to talk with land trust staff, board and committee members, ask questions, share ideas and provide feedback on the focus and direction of ongoing conservation efforts in Clallam County.
This year’s keynote speaker is Bernard Bormann, director of University of Washington’s Olympic Natural Resources Center in Forks and professor of forest ecology and physiology at the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences.
Dedicated to researching and developing creative win-win solutions to improve both ecologic and community well being especially in rural human-forest ecosystems, Bormann will talk about some of the innovative research underway in forest management and emerging models in connection with conservation.
Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.
For more information, visit northolympicland trust.org or call 360-417-1815.
