Olympic National Park to host open house on wilderness-area plan

QUILCENE — Olympic National Park will host a public open house Monday on a plan for managing wilderness areas within the park.

The meeting will be from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Quilcene Community Center, 294952 U.S. Highway 101.

The open house was added to the park’s schedule of public “scoping meetings” for the Olympic Wilderness Stewardship Plan.

Earlier meetings were held in Port Angeles, Sequim, Sekiu, Forks and Port Townsend.

Parks officials are gathering suggestions for managing wilderness areas, which comprise 95 percent of the park.

The public is being asked to answer questions about their desires for the park as officials begin to develop a wilderness stewardship plan for the next decade or longer.

The plan will be developed in accordance with the Wilderness Act of 1964 and analyzed through an environmental impact statement, or EIS, with a plan expected to be released next year.

Comments will be taken until April 23.

For more information or to leave comments, visit www.parkplanning.nps.gov/olymwild.

Public comment also can be mailed to Sarah Creachbaum, Attn: Wilderness Stewardship Plan, Olympic National Park, 600 E. Park Ave., Port Angeles, WA 98362.