Olympic Corrections Center (OCC)
Hosts one of Washington State’s most extensive Sustainability in Prisons Project programs, integrating environmental stewardship with vocational training and community service. The facility features large-scale gardens—including a unique Diversity Garden—pollinator habitat, beekeeping, composting, and waste sorting that dramatically reduce waste and produce fresh food for kitchens and donation. Incarcerated technicians refurbish computers for schools, train service dogs, and create valuable compost and firewood for local partners. AHCC also supports innovative practices like worm farming.
Program Partners Highlights
Community Crew
Highlights as of December 2024:
Most activities are related to sustainability, e.g., lawn and grounds care, trail improvements, brush cutting, firewood cutting, weed removal, storm debris clean up, stream restoration, fence construction, greenhouse construction, snow removal, painting and construction.
Partners:
Department of Natural Resoutces (DNR), City of Forks, Quinault Tribal Reservation, Forks Visitor Center, Forks Community Hospital, Quillayute Valley School District, and others
Flower Gardens, Boxes, Baskets
Highlights as of December 2024:
Each living unit has several garden beds for residents: hanging baskets and flowering beds throughout staff and incarcerated population areas. Flower beds are enjoyed by most people at the facility.
Partners:
WWTP
Forestry
Highlights as of December 2024:
Off-site crews trained in and practice re-forestation, wood-cutting, land clearing, and forest firefighting and fire prevention; In 2025, these crews had 14 wildfire deployments and 5 Project fire deployments
Partners:
Gardens
Highlights as of December 2024:
Gardens and greenhouses are maintained by Hoh living Unit and Maintenance department. They delivered 1946.38 lbs. of produce to the Forks Food Bank. The facility grew pumpkins for family friendly events at OCC and CBCC.
Partners:
Large-scale Composting
Highlights as of December 2024:
Processed ~76 tons of food and yard waste from OCC and CBCC; produced ~48 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.
Partners:
Religious Firewood: Community Involvement Firewood
Highlights as of December 2024:
In 2025, OCC supplied 237 cords of firewood to the Native American programs and other charities in the community
Partners:
Olycap, Quillayute Valley Scholarship Fund, Lake Quinault Fire Department, Department of Natural Resources
Solar Power
Highlights as of December 2024:
5K Solar Array produces electricity that is used by the facility.
Waste Sorting & Recycling
Highlights as of December 2024:
On-the-job training for incarcerated technicians; recycling cardboard and scrap metal, reducing landfill fees
Wastewater Treatment
Highlights as of December 2024:
Dept of Ecology’s Outstanding Performance Award for 2018 and 2019; DOE 100% compliant 9 years in a row; since 2002, 38 incarcerated technicians trained to Wastewater Treatment Operator 1 / 2 level; many reported work in WWT following release. Treated 13.7 million gallons in 2025
Partners:
Water Catchment
Highlights as of December 2024:
Two 2,100 gal tanks; red faucets for rainwater watering
Water features
Highlights as of December 2024:
Two living units have fishponds; the other
has a fountain and basin
Wood shop
Highlights as of December 2024:
Every year OCC donates outdoor furniture, wood toys and games, and other crafts to Quillayute Valley School District Scholarship auction.
Partners:
City of Froks, Olympic Logging, Quillayute Valley Scholarship Fund, and others
“What does science mean to me? Science is the study of the world around us… I would not want to experience life without science.”
Morris Talaga
Program Participant
Stories & Reflections
We design and deliver hands-on programs that connect environmental education.
“I never did well in school and my skills were more on the manual labor side. While I was incarcerated at Cedar Creek Correction Center in 2015 thru…”
Darin Armstrong
Former SPP conservation technician
Together, We Reimagine
What’s Possible
Sustainability thrives on community. Be part of a unique collaboration that bridges
education, environmental justice, and rehabilitation in real, tangible ways.
