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Contact: Western Washington University’s Huxley College of the Environment at (360) 650-3520.

BELLINGHAM – Filmmaker John Gussman, Research Ecologist Jeff Duda of the U.S. Geological Survey, and Stephen Streufert, the Pacific Northwest director of the environmental education nonprofit NatureBridge, will join for a presentation on the impacts of the Elwha River dam-removal projects in the Olympic National Park at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10 in Academic West 204 on the Western Washington University campus.

The Elwha Dam, after breaching last fall.

The presentation is free and open to the public, but registration is requested by going to .

The Elwha and Glines Canyon dams had restricted the free flow of the Elwha River for nearly a century, but in September 2011, work began on dismantling the dams, signaling a start to the largest dam removal and second largest watershed restoration in U.S. history behind only the restoration of the Everglades. How has dam removal impacted the river’s ecosystem, and in particular its once-historic salmon populations? What has been learned from the project thus far about habitat restoration and recovery?

Learn the latest on restoration efforts from the presentation’s panel of guest speakers:

• John Gussman, filmmaker, shows selections from his documentary film in progress, “Return of the River.”
• Jeff Duda, USGS research ecologist, will share current research on the Elwha’s freshwater, estuarine, and marine ecosystems before and after dam removal.
• Stephen Streufert, Pacific Northwest director of NatureBridge, will explain how the Elwha River Restoration Project has become an ideal laboratory for schools to connect in-class learning with real world experiences at the NatureBridge campus.

Anyone interested in this topic is encouraged to come and participate. The presentation will include a question-and-answer period, and is co-sponsored by Western’s Huxley College of the Environment, NatureBridge, and the North Cascades Institute.

Western’s Huxley College of the Environment is one of the oldest environmental colleges in the nation and a recognized national leader in producing the next generation of environmental stewards. The College’s academic programs reflect a broad view of the physical, biological, social and cultural world. This innovative and interdisciplinary approach makes Huxley unique. The College has earned international recognition for the quality of its programs.

For more information, contact Western’s Huxley College of the Environment at (360) 650-3520.