North Cascades Park expansion the focus of Bellingham talks

Backers of a proposal to expand North Cascades National Park - perhaps by some 304,000 acres - will speak in Bellingham in the coming days.

Called the American Alps Legacy Project, the initiative is led by the North Cascades Conservation Council, The Mountaineers and other partners. They said it would complete the conservation and historical vision for the park, which was created on Oct. 2, 1968.

The free talks are:

• 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, Communications Facility Room 105 at Western Washington University. Part of WWU's Huxley College of Environment Speaker Series.

• 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 1, in the community room at REI, 400 36th St. Organized by the Mount Baker Club.