| | | | | | Hi Friend, Early August feels like the peak of summer – long golden days and bright blue skies. The air is filled with bird song, including that of the juvenile raven screaming in my backyard. 🐦⬛ As I write this, we're receiving our first real rain in months, and I can almost hear the forests and grasslands breathing a sigh of relief. There's something magical about the smell of rain in summer and watching the earth rebound like a sponge after a long drought. There's more to rejoice about this week than just the rain. On Sunday, we'll officially celebrate 25 years of Great Peninsula Conservancy at Petersen Farm on August 10th! From partaking in Kitsap Farm Tour and a ribbon cutting ceremony to live music and Clear Creek Pale Ale, it's going to be a day that honors both our conservation legacy and the community that makes it all possible. Beyond the celebration, August is packed with opportunities to get your hands dirty for conservation – whether you're joining trail work parties, learning about forest management, or helping young entomologists discover beneficial bugs. We're also updating our Conservation Plan, so be sure to share your thoughts and help guide our next three years of protection work. I hope this August finds you soaking up these long summer days (and welcoming rain showers) while discovering new ways to connect with the lands and waters we're protecting together. Here's to getting outside, | | | | | | | | | | 3rd Annual Kitsap Farm Tour Come celebrate at Petersen Farm! | |  | Join us Sunday, August 10th, 10am - 4pm as we celebrate 25 years of GPC history! We’re combining our fan-favorite Walk & Talk with a ribbon cutting for the historic Petersen Farm AND joining the 3rd Annual Kitsap Farm Tour - all in one amazing day! - Activities for all ages!
- Guided tours at 11am, 12:30pm, and 2pm
- Ribbon cutting at 12pm
- Live music by the SLiCK Pickers from 1-4pm
- 21+ Beer Garden with Clear Creek Pale Ale by Silver City Brewery
- Coffee and pastries from Monica’s Bakery
- Hot dogs from West Sound Roller Derby
Visit our website for more information, and be sure to check out all of the other farms participating this year! | | | | | | | | Help Us Develop Our New Conservation Plan! | |  | Your input is needed! We are updating our Conservation Plan, which provides a strategic framework for prioritizing our region's most significant and ecologically valuable landscapes for protection. Since our founding, GPC has protected over 12,000 acres of wildlife habitat, working lands (forests and farms), and community greenspaces - but there is still much work to do! Help shape GPC's conservation priorities for the next 3 years (2026-2028) by taking a brief moment to fill out this short survey. It should only take 5-10 minutes of your time! Your opinions are important to us as we seek to best serve the needs of the people and places within our conservation region. Take the survey here: 2026-2028 Conservation Plan Community Survey | | | | | | | | 🌿 August is National Make-A-Will Month | |  | Did you know that by 2031, more than $22 billion will pass through estates in our region? By including a gift to Great Peninsula Conservancy in your will, you can help protect the lands and waters that define our way of life—forever. This August, join nearly 100 members of our community who have made a lasting commitment to conservation through GPC’s Legacy Society. Thanks to a generous donor, new legacy gifts unlock an immediate $1,000 donation, putting your impact to work today. Bart and Carrie Kale recently joined GPC’s Legacy Society and shared why this decision mattered to them: “We support GPC through the Legacy Program because we believe in its mission of protecting our special and unique wild lands and ecosystems with no other agenda than to preserve them in perpetuity. Much appreciation for GPC’s commitment to the wellbeing of the community we call home.” —Bart and Carrie Kale Make your conservation commitment part of your story—plan today to protect tomorrow. Contact Development Manager Katherine Tacke to learn more at 360-373-3500 x 107 or katherine@greatpeninsula.org or visit our website. | | | | | | | | Discovery Play Days: Beneficial Bugs Bug out with us for Beneficial Bugs on Friday, August 8th, 9:00-11:00am at Clear Creek Trail Sa’qad Interpretive Center! Young entomologists 10 and under will discover how insects help our streams and forests thrive. Pond dipping for stream bugs, microscope viewing, bug identification games, and build-your-own-bug activities make learning buzzing with fun! Explore how these tiny helpers support our local ecosystems. In partnership with Kitsap Regional Library & WSU Kitsap Extension. When: Friday, August 8th, 9:00am – 11:00am Where: Clear Creek Trail Sa’qad Interpretive Center, Silverdale, WA | | | | | | | | Kitsap Farm Tour at Petersen Farm Join us for a fun day of celebration as GPC marks 25 years of protecting the lands and waters of the Great Peninsula! This special event combines our beloved monthly Walk & Talk with an exciting ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly acquired historic Petersen Farm, all as part of the 2025 Kitsap Farm Tour. The celebration features three guided walking tours of the property, interactive activities for children and families, local partner booths, anniversary displays showcasing our 25-year journey, and a beer garden featuring Clear Creek Pale Ale from Silver City Brewery. We’ll officially cut the ribbon at noon to celebrate this significant addition to our conservation portfolio, followed by live music, local food, and community connections that make conservation possible. When: Sunday, August 10th, 10:00am – 4:00pm Where: Petersen Farm, Silverdale, WA | | | | | | | | Stewardship Work Party: Summer Trail Maintenance at Hahobas Shoreline Preserve Join GPC at Hahobas Shoreline Preserve this August to get your hands dirty and help us maintain Hahobas trails. With your help, GPC can open up views of beautiful Hood Canal and clear the area for future GPC programming and public access! This beautiful site was previously a boy scout camp that was purchased in partnership with GPC, Boy Scouts, Department of Natural Resources, and the Navy. With over half a mile of shoreline, four streams, and forested bluffs, Hahobas Shoreline Preserve provides critical habitat for marine life, birds, and bears. The streams, protected by mature forest along their lengths, bring clean, fresh water to Hood Canal. By joining us, you’ll be helping to keep Hahobas Shoreline Preserve accessible and beautiful, ensuring it remains a place for community enjoyment and environmental protection for years to come. We can’t do it without you! When: Saturday, August 23rd, 10:00am – 12:30pm Where: Tahuya, WA | | | | | | | | Newberry Woods Community Forest Management Tour Join GPC Stewardship Manager Micaela Petrini and WA DNR Service Forester Matt Smetana for an evening tour at Newberry Woods Community Forest! GPC has been partnering with DNR to implement forest restoration practices across the community forest. We'll talk about the upcoming ecological thinning project we have planned, and learn about how our community forest is benefiting from science-backed restoration strategies. When: Tuesday, August 26th, 5:30pm – 7:00pm Where: Newberry Woods Community Forest, Silverdale | | | | | | | | Date & Time Change: Camp Conservation Fundraiser After hearing from many of you, it’s clear that a summer weekend just isn’t ideal for a fundraising event in the Pacific Northwest! With that in mind, we’ve rescheduled our event at Camp Seymour to a more convenient time. Gig Harbor & Key Peninsula Land Fund and Great Peninsula Conservancy invite you to step away from your daily routine and into the carefree spirit of summer! Join us for a “Camp-tastic” Fundraiser filled with fun, fresh air, and a touch of nostalgia. Whether you’re reliving old memories or making new ones, this is your chance to enjoy a playful afternoon outdoors while supporting a lasting cause ~ protecting local forests, salmon streams, wildlife corridors, and open space in Gig Harbor and the Key Peninsula. When: Friday, September 12th, 5:00pm – 7:30pm Where: Gig Harbor, WA | | | | | | | | Clear Creek Trail Work Party Join us for the upcoming work party on the Clear Creek Trail! Together, we’ll tackle trail maintenance tasks like removing invasive species, repairing boardwalks, cleaning up litter, and more. It’s a great opportunity to connect with fellow trail lovers and help make the Clear Creek Trail even better. When: September 13th, 9:00am – 11:00am Where: Silverdale, WA | | | | | | | | Help Renovate the Red Barn Roll up your sleeves for the Red Barn Renovation on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 17th–18th, from 9am to 4pm at the Clear Creek Trail Sa’qad Interpretive Center! We're teaming up with our local Silverdale Home Depot to give the beloved Red Barn a fresh new look—and we need your help to make it happen! From painting and light carpentry to landscaping the grounds, there’s a job for every skill level. Lunch is on us, and good times are guaranteed. Help transform this community hub into a space that truly shines! When: September 17th & 18th, 9:00am – 4:00pm Where: Silverdale, WA | | | | | | | | September Forest Habitat Stewards Workshop | | Become a better advocate for and steward of the wonderful forests around Puget Sound. The Kitsap Environmental Coalition, with grant support from the WA Native Plant Society’s South Sound Chapter, will hold a Forest Habitat Stewards Workshop over 8 days in September. This is a great opportunity to learn about forest health, ecology of plants and animals, and restoration. The Kitsap County Master Gardeners Program is also providing assistance for the workshop. Click here for more details and to apply. | | | | | | | | Like what we're up to? Our work is made possible by generous donors like you. | | | |  | | | | | If this email was forwarded to you, you can join our e-news to receive your own copy in the future. | | | | | | | |
