When: Friday, March 31 from 7-8 p.m.

Where: Forks at the Olympic Natural Resources Center in our Hemlock Forest Room. ONRC is at 1455 S. Forks Ave.

Dr. Mara Zimmerman is a research scientist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. She leads the Fish Ecology and Life Cycle Monitoring Unit in the Fish Science Division. Research in her unit focuses on the life cycle of salmon and steelhead including their abundance, diversity and distribution in rivers on the Washington coast and tributaries to the lower Columbia River.

Prior to joining WDFW, she worked as a biologist for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, was a graduate student instructor for the University of Michigan and a post-doctoral research associate for the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. She has conducted research on a diversity of freshwater fauna including crayfish, freshwater mussels, sticklebacks, lake trout, and, most recently, salmon and steelhead.

In her current position, she enjoys leading science efforts at WDFW and working collaboratively to improve the conservation and management of fish populations in Washington.

Her presentation will describe a new steelhead research study on the Hoh River. The study is designed to improve understanding of our north coast steelhead populations and fill information gaps needed for management. The work is a collaborative effort between WDFW, conservation groups, local guides and anglers.

Please join us! Evening Talks at ONRC is funded through the Rosmond Forestry Education Fund, an endowment that honors the contributions of Fred Rosmond and his family to forestry and the Forks community. Refreshments will be served and a potluck of your favorite dessert is encouraged. For more information, contact Frank Hanson at 374-4556 or fsh2@uw.edu.