| | | Hi Friend, I don't know about you, but April is one of my favorite months. We're officially into spring and the days are longer. Species that I haven't seen all winter, like the violet-green swallow and red-flowering currant are returning, and the world seems full of promise. Once April hits, I start filling my calendar with afternoons in the garden, weekend hikes with family and friends, days in the field with the Stewardship team, and volunteer activities throughout our preserves. Like a visit with an old friend, April fills my cup and energizes me. This energy flows into our work at GPC too, where we're celebrating spring with community involvement. If you're like me and looking for ways to get outside, we've planned something for everyone: from shaping the future of the Divide Community Forest, to joining our bioblitz at Carpenter Creek, to celebrating 25 years of conservation at our upcoming fundraiser on June 5th! Here's to getting outside, |
| | | | | Conservation Celebration Registration Live |
|  | We’re excited to celebrate 25 years of conservation in West Puget Sound at our annual fundraiser on June 5th, 5:30pm - 9:00pm! Join us at the beautiful Kiana Lodge for oysters and drinks on the lawn, dinner in the lodge, and stories of GPC’s recent shared successes. We’ll have a slate of speakers and a live auction and paddle raise to support our work for the next 25 years and beyond! Your ticket purchase ($180) will include dinner, a drink ticket, and entry to the event. Become a Table Captain ($1,600) and reserve a table, dinner, and wine for eight guests. Learn more about this year's program on our website, or click here to get your ticket now! |
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| Divide Community Forest Public Meetings |
|  | Join us to shape the future of The Divide Community Forest! In April & May of 2025, we will hold a series of six forest tours and community meetings to determine which ecological, social, and economic forest benefits to prioritize as we prepare a long-term, strategic vision for the Divide Community Forest. Community forests are forestlands managed for the benefit of the local community. Community forests provide the community with secure and reliable access to the ecological, social, and economic benefits produced by forests. GPC acquired the Divide Community Forest (commonly referred to as The Divide) in December 2024. The property spans 467 acres of vital forestland and serves as a critical link in a 5,000-acre wildlife corridor stretching across the Kitsap Peninsula from the Hood Canal to Puget Sound’s Central Basin. Visit our website to learn more about The Divide and RSVP for one of our many community meetings and tours. |
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| Salmon in the Classroom Program Makes a Splash |
| | Each year, Salmon in the Classroom brings the wonder of salmon life cycles directly into Central Kitsap classrooms. This spring, 1,134 elementary students from over 30 classrooms took part in this fun Kitsap rite of passage, releasing 2,046 chum salmon into Clear Creek. Salmon in the Classroom is an immersive experience that connects students with the natural world of Pacific Northwest salmonids. Through hands-on learning and classroom education, students learn about watershed health, salmon conservation, and the role humans play in protecting ecosystems. Visit our website to learn more about Salmon in the Classroom and see some highlights from this year. |
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| Boy Scouts Build Kiosk at Hahobas Shoreline Preserve |
| | "I think if there was one thing I’d like to take away from this project, it’s that we don’t have to travel far to find something wonderful and amazing. The world is a really cool place, but so is our backyard." Earlier this spring, Boy Scout Simon Soriano partnered with GPC staff, his troop, and friends to build a brand new kiosk at Hahobas Shoreline Preserve in Tahuya, WA. Visit our website to learn more about his experience and see photos of the build. |
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| Join GPC's Clear Creek Trail Team Help care for this vital community resource |
|  | We're so thankful for the many wonderful Clear Creek Trail Team volunteers! The March wind storm damaged the boardwalk at Clear Creek Trail, but our amazing team quickly restored it to tip-top shape. Volunteering with the Clear Creek Trail Team is a lovely way to get some fresh air and meet new two-legged (and four-legged) friends. It's also a rewarding way to improve the quality of life for the thousands of people who use the trail. If you're interested in taking part in volunteer efforts with Clear Creek Trail, send an email to volunteer@greatpeninsula.org. |
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| Volunteer Needed: Conservation Easement Documentation Work |
| We are recruiting one volunteer to audit ~60 baseline documentation reports and ~45 conservation easement deeds. This individual should have familiarity with GPC's Stewardship program, including experience with conservation easement deeds (or legal documents). The work will involve methodical review of dozens of reports and legal documents, and use of Microsoft Excel. Work will take place at GPC's office in Bremerton, at times designated by volunteer and staff. Preferred start date of May 5, 2025, anticipated duration of 80-100 hours. For questions, contact Micaela Petrini, Stewardship Manager, at micaela@greatpeninsula.org. Interested individuals should fill out this form before April 11, 2025. |
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| Get That GIVING Feeling — Early Giving Starts April 22! |
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| There’s a special kind of joy in giving back—whether it’s caring for a neighbor, protecting a place you love, or investing in the future of your community. This GiveBIG (May 6-7), your support for Great Peninsula Conservancy helps protect forests, shorelines, and farms across West Puget Sound, ensuring that future generations can enjoy the landscapes that make our region special. Every gift, big or small, makes a lasting impact. Join us in safeguarding these cherished lands—because conservation is something we do together. |
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| | | Divide Community Forest Planning Meeting #1 Join us to shape the future of the Divide Community Forest! This three-part meeting series will focus on the recently established Divide Community Forest and the ways in which the community (you!) can engage with the forest. Join us to determine how this new community forest can best benefit the people and wildlife of our region. During our first session, we’ll give you an introduction to Great Peninsula Conservancy and the Divide Community Forest. When: Tuesday, April 8th, 4:30pm – 6:30pm Where: Village Green Community Center, Kingston |
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| Volunteer Training for GPC's Spring Land Labs Module, Salmon Supporting Streams Want to get outside and share your love of nature with local youth? GPC’s Land Labs program is calling all volunteers interested in helping with its spring field trip series. No experience needed! We’ll teach you everything you need to know at our next Land Labs Volunteer Training on Thursday, April 10th from 12:30pm - 2:30pm. The training will focus on how best to support 5th - 8th grade students as they engage in real-world science questions out on GPC preserves. Our upcoming lessons (late April and early May) will be investigating the health of the Curley Creek watershed. If you love water quality sampling, benthic invertebrates, and getting your boots a little muddy… then volunteering to help kids with this lesson is for you! When: Thursday, April 10th, 12:30pm – 2:30pm Where: Curley Creek Tyner Preserve, Port Orchard Interested? Reach out to GPC’s Community Engagement Manager, Gabriel Newton at gabriel@greatpeninsula.org. |
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| Spring Cleaning at Newberry Woods Community Forest Join us for a day of spring cleaning at Newberry Woods Community Forest! Together we will be working to remove Scotch broom from the east portion of the forest. This work is vital to improve ecosystem function and to maintain this area as a public access space. When: Saturday, April 12th, 10:00am – 12:30pm Where: Silverdale |
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| Divide Community Forest Tour #1 Join GPC staff for a tour of the newly created the Divide Community Forest! We’re going to walk through this new 467-acre property, learn about the history of land use, and discuss the current forest health. We’ll discuss the term ‘community forest’ and cover examples of other community forest models. Join us to tour the property in conjunction with our three-part Community Forest Planning Meeting series. This is the first of three identical tours to visit the Divide Community Forest hosted on April 19, May 3, and May 17. Can’t make this date? Check out our events page to sign up for a different date. When: Saturday, April 19th, 9:00am – 11:00am Where: Poulsbo |
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| Fundraiser Car Wash at Classy Chassis Car Wash in Gig Harbor Get your car washed Saturday or Sunday (April 19/20) at Classy Chassis Car Wash in Gig Harbor! They'll donate $1 per car to the Gig Harbor & Key Peninsula Land Fund, a volunteer committee of GPC. Our friends at Classy Chassis have been awesome partners for years and we are so grateful for their commitment to conservation (and clean cars)! Mark your calendars and share with your friends! When: Saturday and Sunday, April 19th and 20th Where: Classy Chassis Car Wash, Gig Harbor |
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| Divide Community Forest Planning Meeting #2 Join us to shape the future of the Divide Community Forest! This three-part meeting series will focus on the recently established Divide Community Forest and the ways in which the community (you!) can engage with the forest. Join us to determine how this new community forest can best benefit the people and wildlife of our region. In the first public meeting, community members (you!) developed a wide variety of possible objectives and community benefits for the Divide Community Forest. When: Tuesday, April 22nd, 4:00pm – 6:00pm Where: Village Green Community Center, Kingston |
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| Critter Count: Kitsap County Bioblitz Challenge Join GPC for a bioblitz of the Carpenter Creek Watershed! Be a part of a coalition of Kitsap-based organizations documenting local plants, animals, and fungi to better understand the area’s ecological health. We’re participating in the City Nature Challenge, it’s a bioblitz-style competition where cities are in a friendly contest with each other to see who can make the most observations of nature and who can find the most species! When: Saturday, April 26th, 10:00am – 12:00pm Where: Kingston |
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| Conservation & Cocktails Presents: Dragonflies Fascinated by dragonflies? Join GPC staff and members of the Gig Harbor & Key Peninsula Land Fund, a volunteer committee of GPC, for our next Conservation and Cocktails event! Odonatologist Karen Conniff, PhD, will reveal the secrets of these incredible flying creatures. Dr. Conniff has conducted research and fieldwork in Botswana, Egypt, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Himalayas and collaborated on a study tour of the Nile Basin. She's even described four new species. Come learn more! When: Sunday, April 27th, 4:00pm – 5:30pm Where: Evergreen State Brewing, Gig Harbor |
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| | Thank you, 2025 Conservation Celebration Sponsors! |
|  | | Like what we're up to? Our work is made possible by generous donors like you. |
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