Pacific Northwest Research Station

Web site, May 18 events mark anniversary of Mount St. Helens eruption

USDA Forest Service
Pacific Northwest Research Station

Contact:

Charlie Crisafulli, (360) 449-7834, ccrisafulli@fs.fed.us

Media assistance

Sherri Richardson Dodge, (503) 808-2137, srichardsondodge@fs.fed.us
Yasmeen Sands, (503) 808-2239, ysands@fs.fed.us

PORTLAND, Ore. May 6, 2005. May 18, 2005 marks the 25th anniversary of the catastrophic 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. In commemoration of the anniversary, the Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station developed a Web site (http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/mtsthelens) that features key science findings, frequently asked questions, a photo gallery, publications, and a glossary. The site also features an online newsroom with information of interest to journalists.

Several special events also are planned for May 18 to commemorate the 25th anniversary:

• Field interview opportunities. PNW Research Station scientists are available for field interviews on the monument every Monday through Wednesday, including May 18. Photo opportunities will be available, as the scientists will be conducting field sampling with their crews. To schedule a field interview for May 18 or another day, contact Charlie Crisafulli, the PNW Research Station’s lead scientist at the monument, at (360) 449-7834 or ccrisafulli@fs.fed.us.

• A free day at the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. The volcanic monument is hosting a free day on May 18 in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the 1980 eruption. No fees will be charged on the monument, including the visitor centers on state Route 504. For more information, visit http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/mshnvm.

• “Portland in Context: Reflecting on Mount St. Helens.” As part of the Illahee Lecture Series 2005, Gary Snyder and Jerry Franklin will be giving a lecture at 7:30 p.m. on May 18 at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (1037 SW Broadway in Portland, Ore.). Snyder, a poet-essayist, and Jerry Franklin, an ecologist, will share personal histories and reflections on Mount St. Helens. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Illahee Society and the Spring Creek Project’s Long-Term Ecological Reflections. For tickets, call (503) 227-2583 or visit http://www.literary-arts.org.

The PNW Research Station is headquartered in Portland, Ore. It has 10 laboratories located in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington and about 500 employees.