Dennis Paulson

The Friends of Fort Worden State Park celebrate their 30th year next week.

The program for the nonprofit’s annual meeting — planned for 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 14 at the Fort Worden Commons — will feature Northwest birding icon and naturalist Dennis Paulson.

Paulson will talk about the seabirds of Admiralty Inlet. He was director of the Slater Museum of Natural History for 15 years at the University of Puget Sound, and has traveled all over the world to study and photograph birds and dragonflies. As a naturalist and biologist, Paulson has written a half-dozen books about birds, dragonflies, and other aspects of nature.

Sponsored by Windemere Real Estate and Lila’s Kitchen, the event features appetizers and a cash bar (beer and wine). Donations are accepted. 

The annual meeting, the Friends of Fort Worden’s first since 2019, will also highlight the group’s achievements, acknowledge volunteers, members, and donors, and raise funds for its park projects.

“The Friends of Fort Worden are thrilled to have a speaker with Dennis Paulson’s expertise at this year’s meeting,” said Gary Larson, president of the Friends of Fort Worden.

Larson noted that the all-volunteer group’s mission has been to preserve and enhance the park as a recreational, historical, educational, and natural resource.

“The Friends work closely with park management to identify projects and provide financial and volunteer support for improvements not funded by Washington State Parks,” Larson said.

For more information about the Friends of Fort Worden State Park, visit fwfriends.org.