Elwha Restoration Education Update

Through the Elwha Science Education Project, you have a unique opportunity to directly experience and study this spectacular river and historic project.  It is a chance to look back into the last 100 years of our history and see how a pristine river can rebound from a massive dam removal.  For us, it is a chance to learn from this experiment and apply our knowledge in our home communities.  Read the Elwha Restoration introduction.

Research Results for Student Learning

To better understand the baseline conditions of the Elwha River Ecosystem and adjacent Strait of Juan de Fuca, researchers are sharing their results through two writing projects.  The first project is the Elwha Research Learning Unit, which includes research summaries and lessons for Middle School and up.  The second project is the Northwest Science special issue on Elwha River Dam Removal and Ecosystem Restoration, which is a great journal full of current research.  Depending on the level of science you want to read, there are two options to follow the latest science coming out on the Elwha Ecosystem restoration.

Student Voice from the Project

Students from our High School Summer Program with the Lower Elwha Klallam and Jamestown S'Klallam Tribes capture video and audio to create a fascinating short video.  This link allows you to connect to several options to select the right video for your computer.

Students Share their Science Results

This past year was inspiring for our staff, as we watched young scientists present to the community, and submit observations, reports and presentations to post here on our site.  Rosaletta Curry from Chimacum High School submitted a beautiful piece of writing from a field trip into the upper watershed which is now posted as our seasonal story.  Roselli Marsall, Kali Wake and Arielle Yarwood (from our Sequim High School) studied the diversity of mosses found on trees bordering the Elwha River.  Their report and presentation are great examples of independent student work coming from this project. 

Partners for Elwha Restoration Education

As dam removal approaches, a strong group of partners has developed to share educational materials and support education on the Elwha River.  Partners include: Olympic National Park, Olympic Park Institute, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Peninsula College, National Parks Conservation Association, American Rivers, North Olympic Salmon Coalition, Surfrider Foundation and many others.  These groups are working together to avoid duplication of efforts and to coordinate things such as: websites, presentations, stewardship opportunities, links to researchers, educational materials, curriculum, and current news.  For more information about the partners, go to our Links.

Elwha Research Consortium

Researchers and science educators have also formed an important coalition of groups to help coordinate research and disseminate results concerning the Elwha River restoration.   With the support of the National Science Foundation, the Research Consortium is currently establishing an infrastructure to summerize current research and determine gaps to be filled.  For more information about the members and goals of the consortium, go to Peninsula College's Elwha website.

Further information go to Explore the Elwha