Sequim Gazette staff

Science — or, more specifically, the Hoh River — comes alive at the Sequim Education Foundation’s next Science Cafe.

Mike Hagen and Dr. Roger Oakes present “The Science of Restoration Ecology Alive on the Hoh River” on Tuesday, Dec. 10.

Hagen and Oakes will discuss the Hoh River Trust which owns nearly 7,000 acres on the Hoh River in western Jefferson County. The trust is involved in both active and passive habitat restoration, with a goal of accelerating development of old growth-like forest and high-quality riparian habitat in industrial timberland.

Hagen is executive director of Hoh River Trust. He holds degrees from Humboldt State and College of the Redwoods, and Western Washington University in Port Angeles. With more than 20 years of experience in forest management, wildland firefighting, habitat restoration and national forest resource planning, Hagen also ran a local environmental consulting business specializing in riparian forestry, salmon habitat restoration projects and wetland delineations.

Oakes is a board member of the Hoh River Trust. A family physician who grew up in Port Angeles, Oakes practiced there for 37 years before retiring in 2011.

“I have hiked these mountains for 60 years,” Oakes said. “I believe that the balanced timber harvesting and conservation projects like the Hoh River restoration are the way of the future.”

Oakes received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University and graduated from the University of Washington Medical School, where he also served his residency.

The Science Café is a community service of Sequim Education Foundation. Programs present expert speakers for adult and young adult audiences interested in current developments in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Science Café events are held on the second Tuesday of the month at the Paradise Cafe. Admission is free and food and beverages are available for purchase.

For more information about Sequim Education Foundation, see www.sequimed.org.