Olympic Corrections Center (OCC)
Program | Program Partners (partner with DOC, Evergreen, or both) | Recent highlights – updated August 2019 |
Community College Horticulture | Peninsula College, Sunshine and Rainbows Child Development Center, Forks Gamers Group, Sarge’s Place for Homeless Vets | Reduced number of students this year. Even so, obvious garden expansions. Added drip irrigation, biodegradable plastic, and new cover on greenhouse; raised ~$500 from spring plant sale, funding program equipment and supplies. |
Gardens | Peninsula College, Sunshine and Rainbows Child Development Center, Quileute Tribe | 24,000 ft2 of gardens, 4,000 ft2 greenhouses; rain garden cleans runoff from greenhouse and slowed erosion; 2018, donated 850 lbs of vegetables, edible flowers, and herbs to daycare’s summer meal program (students voted to choose recipient) |
Pollinator-friendly plantings | Peninsula College | All greenhouse plants selected to benefit pollinators; in past year increased plantings for pollinators, including natives |
Flower gardens, boxes, baskets | Peninsula College | Each living unit has several garden beds for residents; hanging baskets and flowering beds throughout staff and incarcerated population areas; in 2019, expanded flower gardens to outside perimeter, encircle greenhouses, and plant pollinator friendly plants |
Water features | Two living units have fish ponds; the other has a fountain and basin | |
Waste sorting & recycling | On the job training for incarcerated technicians; recycled 28 tons of cardboard and 18 tons of scrap metal in past year | |
Large-scale composting | CBCC, Kalaloch Lodge | Processed ~158 tons of food and yard waste from OCC and CBCC; produced ~ 54 tons of finished compost; on job training for equipment and safety; use compost throughout the facility to build up soil; lost bulking agent (wood chip) source and now have to buy their own |
Waste Water Treatment | Washington Department of Ecology (DOE) | Dept of Ecology’s Outstanding Performance Award again/as usual! DOE 100% compliant 8 years in a row; since 2002 38 incarcerated technicians trained to Waste Water Treatment Operator 1 / 2 level; many reported work in WWT following release |
Water catchment | Two 2,100 gal tanks; red faucets for rainwater watering | |
Solar power | Installed 5k watt solar array has produced 8,383 kWh of electricity | |
Wood shop | Quileute High School scholarships ,Cherish our Children, and Forks Lions Club, CASA, Quillayute Valley School District, Relay for Life, Forks Chamber of Commerce, Timber Museum, Olympic Anglers, Calm Waters and Forks Soroptimists, Olympic Peninsula Humane Society; wood provided by Westport Shipyard and OCC Community Crews (Department of Natural Resources) | Every year OCC donates outdoor furniture, wood toys and games, and other crafts to Quillayute Valley School District Scholarship auction; 2019 donated 78 items raising $16,970 for scholarships |
Dog training and adoption | Olympic Peninsula Humane Society | Adopted out 35-40 dogs this past year; adoption rate is 92%; 207 dogs since start of program in 2010 |
Green Building | Peninsula College | Program ended December 2018 |
Firewood | Olycap, Quillayute Valley Scholarship Auction, Lake Quinault Fire Department, OCC Community Crews (Department of Natural Resources) | Cut and donated 190 cords of firewood in past year; donation to Quillayute Valley Scholarship Auction raised nearly $6,000 |
Community Crew | DNR and others | Most activities related to sustainability, e.g., lawn and grounds care, trail improvements, brush cutting, fire wood cutting, weed removal, storm debris clean up, stream restoration, fence construction, green house construction, snow removal (also painting and construction) |
Forestry | DNR and others | Off-site crews trained in and practice re-forestation, wood-cutting, land clearing, and forest firefighting and fire prevention; more than 100 hours of wildland fire training |
Articles about OCC
2019
Wastewater Treatment at Olympic Corrections Center Continues to Impress
Garden expansion and delicious prison bananas: Olympic Corrections Center Horticulture Program
2018
Sustainability at Olympic Corrections Center