From its coastal beaches to snowy peaks and dense rainforest, the Olympic Peninsula is home to one of Washington’s most environmentally diverse national parks. 

The Quinault, Hoh and Makah tribes are among the many that reside in this area; many of which rely on the ocean for fishing, cultural practices and economic resources. 

The coastal communities on the Peninsula drive economic growth in the state with forest products, shellfish, agriculture and tourism. Grays Harbor County, an emerging leader in green manufacturing, is also home to the state’s only deep water port on the Pacific Ocean. 

University of Washington researchers use the Olympic Experimental State Forest to test forest management methods, with the goal of finding an approach that allows the ecosystem to thrive even more. The UW’s Olympic Natural Resources Center near Forks is a home base for university and regional researchers, offering a prime location to study forest management and marine science.