March 24, 2020
The safety of our staff and participants remains NatureBridge’s number one priority. Following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization, NatureBridge will suspend programs and operations at our Olympic campus through June as the most effective social distancing measure.
Groups scheduled to attend NatureBridge Olympic during this time can apply their amount paid as credit to future dates, request a refund or donate their refund to NatureBridge.
NatureBridge is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to connecting young people to the wonder and science of the natural world. We depend on revenue from our education programs and donations from our supporters to continue this mission and provide necessary assistance and support to our staff. Your support makes a difference and will help ensure that NatureBridge can weather COVID-19 and continue to provide programs in the future.
NatureBridge appreciates your partnership as we navigate this extremely challenging time. We hope you and your community remain healthy.
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March 9, 2020
A Message from NatureBridge’s Director of Risk Management about COVID-19
In response to the extensive news coverage about COVID-19, I wanted to share NatureBridge’s protocols and policies in an effort to ease concerns. We recommend sharing this information with your conference participants.
The safety of our participants and staff is our highest priority. NatureBridge is closely monitoring the situation in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state and federal agencies, and the NPS Office of Public Health. The national parks are currently open and accessible without any restrictions. If any event alterations are warranted, we will contact you immediately.
As an organization serving 30,000 participants annually across four national parks, NatureBridge has strong illness prevention policies and risk management practices. We’re hopeful that the COVID-19 risk will remain low but this is a great reminder of the importance of good hygiene and illness prevention practices. Our long-standing illness policies are still the most effective in dealing with sickness and are in alignment with the CDC, the Office of Public Health, National Park Service and the Washington State Department of Health.
Here are the additional steps NatureBridge is taking to proactively address this situation:
Participants are asked in advance not to attend the event if they are experiencing illness symptoms.
Handwashing and hand sanitizing; covering sneezes and coughs; not touching eyes, mouth or nose; and reporting any illness symptoms are emphasized with all participants.
Food service staff follow best practices in food preparation and service.
Facilities are disinfected daily, following National Park Service protocols for cold and flu.
Participants are asked to go home if they have a fever or have symptoms of illness (e.g. vomiting, exhaustion, severe coughing). We have extra spaces on campus where participants can be quarantined as we work to get them home as quickly as possible.
NatureBridge staff are not allowed to work if they show symptoms of illness.
NatureBridge has a strong tradition and practice of risk management and emergency response and our staff are trained to manage emergent situations and concerns. As the Risk Management Director, I directly oversee our standard risk management policies and actively support our campuses and staff. NatureBridge has the support and resources of National Park Service and 24-hour access to National Park Service law enforcement and emergency medical services. If needed, the nearest hospital is 30 minutes east in Port Angeles, WA.
We continue to actively monitor the situation and will provide updates as needed. If you have additional questions, please contact Sara Solomon, Outreach & Enrollment Director, at 206-457-8332 or ssolomon@naturebridge.org.
Thank you for choosing to host your event with NatureBridge and we look forward to seeing you in Olympic National Park!
Jeff Crow
Director of Risk Management
NatureBridge