SINCE TAKING OVER as director of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife last January, director Jim Unsworth has had a question.
Unsworth has made a point of asking people, ‘If you could tell the director of Fish and Wildlife one thing, what would you say?’”
The forward-looking Unsworth is interested in hearing what citizens have to say on what the department is doing right, what needs improvement and where the department should focus its efforts and funding in the near future (5-20 years).
Fish and Wildlife has held a series of meetings around the state where residents can offer ideas.
None of those meetings were scheduled west of Puget Sound (a complaint already forming in my mind), but Fish and Wildlife is still taking public input at wdfw.wa.gov/wildfuture.
Buzz on in to library
The free, Nature Talks series at the Port Angeles Library will wrap on Monday.
“A Bit About Bees” presented by entomologist Jerry Freilich will close the three-part series concentrated on the North Olympic Peninsula.
The free talk is set for 6:30 p.m. at the library, 2210 S. Peabody Ave.
Freilich is the former research coordinator of Olympic National Park.
While many people can identify three or four kinds of bees, there are actually close to 4,000 species of native bees in North America — not including honey bees, which are non-native.
Freilich’s talk will help explain why bees are such an observational challenge.
Apply for Wanderlust
With dark settling in earlier and earlier each evening, it’s nearing time for the annual Winter Wanderlust lecture series.
Winter Wanderlust is a number of presentations from travelers who are fulfilled by experiencing new places, meeting new people, learning about different cultures and exploring the world.
Often these adventures sten from an outdoors experience such as a bicycle journey, a kayaking expedition, or a bird watching trip to rare birding grounds.
Travelers then recount the rewards of their outings, typically focused on the new perspective and understandings they have accumulated.
Organizers are looking for potential presenters for the 2016 lecture series.
Applications can be obtained by emailing worldwanderlustadventures@gmail.com.
Presentation dates are Friday, Jan. 15, 22 and 29 and Feb. 5, 12 and 19.
Beaver relocation talk
Olympic National Resources Center’s Evening Talk series will focus on beaver relocation at 7 p.m. Friday.
“Beaver Relocation: A Novel Adaptation Tool” takes place at the center, 1455 S. Forks Ave., in the Hemlock Forest Room.
Presenter Ben Dittbrenner, a doctorate candidate in the University of Washington’s School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, is the executive director of the nonprofit organization Beavers Northwest.
Dittbrenner’s research focuses on exploring nontraditional approaches to promote habitat enhancement and maintenance, increase ecosystem resilience and reduced effects of climate change on riparian systems at multiple scales.
He co-manages the Sky Beaver Project, which seeks to relocate beavers from areas where human-beaver conflicts would normally result in euthanization of the beaver to headwater riparian systems.
Refreshments will be served, and a potluck of a favorite dessert is encouraged.
For more information, phone Frank Hanson at 360-374-4556 or email fsh2@uw.edu.
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Outdoors columnist Michael Carman appears here Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5152 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
