On Friday, May 8, U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-Wa.) will be in Port Angeles to join in the official launch of the Olympic Peninsula Collaborative.

Kilmer will host an interactive panel discussion with local stakeholders to detail how the collaborative will seek to benefit the environmental quality of area forests and support sustainable timber harvests on the Olympic Peninsula.

Kilmer will be joined at the event by regional leaders from the National Forest Service, local governments, the local timber industry, and environmental advocacy groups.

The collaborative will be focused on landscape restoration, watershed protection, and habitat conservation that is designed to create economic opportunities on the Olympic Peninsula.

Among the items discussed will be the group’s goals and governance structure, along with the best ways to incorporate feedback from the public.

The Olympic Peninsula Collaborative is modeled on similar partnerships in Washington state like the Northeast Washington Forestry Coalition.