Activity Report Explorer

Polly Dyer – Seattle • Entered by Penelope Peterson on August 27, 2022

“Save the Silence” in the Olympics Regional Broadwalk

June 27, 2022 – June 30, 2022

Key Issue: Wilderness & Monument Designation/Protection
Activity Type: Education & Outreach (tabling, films & lectures, regional B-walks/works)
Key Partners: Polly Dyer Seattle Broads and a few Broads from other states
Landscape/area: Olympic National Park (922650 acres)

Measurable Outcomes

Outcome 1: Advocacy actions (70 letters/postcards)
Outcome 2: Event Attendees (25 people)
Outcome 3: Invasive plant Weeding and Levee Restoration (54 stewardship hours)[/if 1231]

Short Description of Activity

Today natural silence has become an endangered species. The Olympic Rainforest, one of the quietest places, is being threatened by overwhelming man-made noise. More specifically, the “Growlers” from the local Navy airbase fly daily training missions over the Olympics, disrupting the natural quiet of the HOH Rainforest. As Great Old Broads, what might we do? For three days—June 27th through 30th, twenty-five Broads from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and South Dakota gathered at the beautiful Ramblewood Retreat Center in Sequim Bay State Park to explore natural silence and discuss what we might do to preserve it. Our Olympics Broadwalk featured three nights of speakers on “Save the Silence;” two stewardship activities in the local area; and a choice of hikes, including a walk to the upper Elwha to view the site of the dam removal and the Elwha watershed restoration. Other highlights of the Broadwalk included the awarding of the “Ageless Advocate Award” to Raelene Gold, a longtime member of the Polly Dyer Seattle Broadband for her tireless service on numerous board and committees over the years in support of environmental and wilderness concerns. We also celebrated the June 29th birthdays of Seattle Broad Esther MacIlroy, and Holly Villaroman, the daughter of longtime Seattle Broad, 97-year old Val LaBreche, who invited Holly to join her for a special mother-daughter Broadwalk with us.

Reflection/Evaluation

Our new Leadership team of Genia, Barb Muirhead, and I planned this Broadwalk as our first major endeavor as we were taking over leadership of our Broadband from our founding leader, Barbara Phalen. We are proud to say that this Broadwalk exceeded our wildest expectations in that it was a rousing success. At the beginning of January, Barb M. had reserved the Ramblewood Retreat Center for us, and it turned out to be an ideal location with fabulous accommodations and an amazing commercial kitchen. Genia and her Program Committee (Esther MacIlroy, Shelley Spalding, and Sally Richardson) organized the fabulous program and recruited the outstanding speakers. One speaker did not show up due to COVID, but the other speakers engaged our Broads with their thoughtful remarks. We partnered with the Matt Albright Natural Plant Center for one stewardship activity and with the North Olympic Salmon Coalition for the other, which involved work on the River’s Edge Levee Setback Project on the Dungeness River. Nate Roberts, our contact for the latter project, was so pleased that he invited us to come back and partner with them again soon. For the second day, Barb Muirhead organized the hikes, which included a strenuous hike to the upper Elwha as well as an short hike along the lower Elwha, and a more easy-going herb walk with a local herbal specialist. On the afternoon of the second day, Genia led an advocacy activity which involved writing postcards to try to stop the flights of the “Growlers” over the Olympic Rainforest. In total, our Broadwalkers wrote and sent more than 70 postcards to “Save the Silence” and stop the training flights.

Photos/Uploads

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Photo Captions

1 Enthusiastic Broads at the “Save the Silence” Olympic Peninsula Regional Broadwalk organized by the Polly Dyer Seattle Great Old Broads, June 27 through 30, 2022.
2 Polly Dyer Seattle Regional Broadwalk Stewardship activity at the Matt Albright Native Plant Center, Olympic National Park, June 28, 2022.
3 Hikers to the upper Elwha to view the site of the dam removal and the amazing restoration of the Elwha River, June 29, 2022, as part of the “Save the Silence” Regional Broadwalk organized by the Polly Dyer Seattle Broadband.
4 Celebrating the June 29th birthdays of Seattle Broad Esther MacIlroy (left), and Holly Villaroman (right), the daughter of longtime Seattle Broad, 97-year old Val LaBreche (center), who invited Holly to join her for a special mother-daughter Broadwalk with us.