FORKS — Programs about forestry, planets and beavers are planned for the Olympic Natural Resources Center’s Evening Talks series this fall.
The series will be at 7 p.m. in the center’s conference room at 1455 S. Forks Ave.
The first program will be Friday, when resource center intern Fletcher Harvey will talk about “Experiments in Long-Term Ecosystem Productivity.”
Harvey will tell of long-term work at the state Department of Natural Resources’ Olympic Experimental State Forest.
On Sept. 26, the University of Washington’s portable planetarium will return with two sessions.
A program for families will be from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. A program for adults is set from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
On Oct. 23, Benjamin Dittbrenner will present “A Novel Climate Adaptation Tool — Beaver Relocation.”
Dittbrenner will tell of the role of North American beavers in wetland restoration and as a potential climate adaptation tool.
Beaver populations have continued to rebound from near extinction in many areas due to intensive trapping for fur over much of their historic range.
This has presented management challenges in areas where beaver activity and flooding have caused conflicts with human infrastructure and land use.
Beavers also represent an opportunity, however, as they have been shown to restore aquatic systems with greater efficiency, long-term success, and less cost than traditional, human-based restoration, Dittbrenner says.
The series is a service to the community as an extension of the University of Washington School of Environmental and Forest Sciences.
For information, visit www.onrc.washington.edu or email Frank Hanson at fsh2@uw.edu.
