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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Tweeters,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Please see the info below from the WDFW requesting input. The Johns River unit is extensive and includes the Oyhut Unit, which contains, I believe, Bottle Beach. Please take a moment to respond to the survey,
which will help define usage. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Thanks,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Denis<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;letter-spacing:-.5pt;mso-ligatures:none">NEWS RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><br>
</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">March 19, 2025<br>
Contact: </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="mailto:nick.bechtold@dfw.wa.gov"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#0563C1">Nick Bechtold</span></a><br>
</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">Media contact:
</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="mailto:benjamin.anderson@dfw.wa.gov"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#0563C1">Ben Anderson</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">,
360-902-0045<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:center;line-height:105%">
<b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:105%;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">WDFW seeks public input on recreation at Olympic, Johns River, and Chehalis wildlife areas<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:center;line-height:105%">
<b><i><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">Public meeting scheduled April 23<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:105%"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is asking for public input to inform a 15-year management plan
for the Olympic-Willapa Hills Wildlife Area Complex, which consists of the </span>
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:105%;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="https://wdfw.wa.gov/places-to-go/wildlife-areas/olympic-wildlife-area"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:105%;color:#0563C1">Olympic</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">,
</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:105%;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="https://wdfw.wa.gov/places-to-go/wildlife-areas/johns-river-wildlife-area"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:105%;color:#0563C1">Johns
River</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">, and
</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:105%;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="https://wdfw.wa.gov/places-to-go/wildlife-areas/chehalis-wildlife-area"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:105%;color:#0563C1">Chehalis</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">
wildlife areas across Grays Harbor, Clallam and Pacific counties. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:105%"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">Visit
<a href="https://publicinput.com/wohrecreation"><span style="color:#0563C1">the survey</span></a> to provide input on current and potential recreation opportunities on these wildlife areas, which include 20 wildlife area units across nearly 14,000 acres. The
survey is open through October 2025.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:105%"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">WDFW wants to better understand what recreational activities visitors currently enjoy at these wildlife areas, and what kinds
of opportunities or infrastructure improvements (such as parking, restrooms, or other facilities) they would like to see in the future.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:105%"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">WDFW also will hold a public meeting to discuss broader planning goals for the wildlife area complex on April 23 from 6-8 p.m.
at the Willapa Harbor Chamber of Commerce, located at 916 West 1st St. in South Bend, Washington.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:105%"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">The Olympic Wildlife Area spans about 1,500 acres primarily in Grays Harbor County, with one unit located in Clallam County.
The Johns River Wildlife Area is located in Grays Harbor County and Pacific County and covers about 11,200 acres, mostly in Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay near the coast of the Pacific Ocean on the Olympic Peninsula. The Chehalis Wildlife Area is found in the
Chehalis River Valley in Grays Harbor County and covers approximately 1,230 acres.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:105%"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">These areas offer a wide array of recreation opportunities, including hunting for big- and small-game species and waterfowl,
fishing for salmon and other species, hiking, and wildlife viewing. These units provide critical habitat for many salmon species such as coho, chinook and chum. Many of the coastal units were purchased to provide wintering and foraging habitat for waterfowl
as well as allowing for hunting opportunities.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:105%"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">Conservation efforts across the region include improving winter forage for elk, along with enhancing and restoring waterfowl
habitat. The wildlife areas’ habitats also support federally endangered fish populations and a variety of other species. Wildlife area management is focused primarily on the estuary and wetland habitats that support a diversity of wildlife, from big and small
game species to songbirds, as well as native fish populations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:105%"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#222222;background:#FEFEFE;mso-ligatures:none">All members of the public are invited to share their perspectives and participate in WDFW public
feedback opportunities regardless of race, color, sex, age, national origin, language proficiency, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, or basis of disability.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">May all your birds be identified,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">Denis<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">Denis DeSilvis<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none">Avnacrs 4 birds at outlook dot com<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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