| | | | Hi Friend, The dragonflies are back. Bitter cherry leaves are uncurling, rhododendron buds are starting to open, and after a dry stretch, the rain has finally returned to do what it does best. Spring on the peninsula is in full swing. April is one of my favorite months to be outside — and also one of my favorite months to be part of this community. It's National Volunteer Month, and we're taking time to celebrate the incredible people who show up, get muddy, and make this work possible. We have a Volunteer Appreciation Open House on April 22nd that we'd love to see you at. And if you've been on the fence about the Conservation Celebration — don't wait. Early bird ticket pricing ends April 6th! Here's to getting outside, | | | | | | | | Happy National Volunteer Month! | |  | At the heart of our organization is a simple belief: the best way to move through the world is to be intimately part of it. Volunteering is one of the most powerful ways to do that — whether you show up for experience, to keep busy, for the simple joy of giving back, to get your hands dirty, or just to be together with others who care. Whatever brings you here, we are grateful you are part of our community. As a small organization, we not only lean on our volunteers to make our mission happen— we have the absolute joy of growing our community through time spent alongside you. Our volunteers are experts in their fields—hobbyists, teachers, nature enthusiasts, comedians—but they’re all some of the biggest-hearted people around. In the last year, volunteers have contributed over 1000 hours to Clear Creek Trail, 350 hours to our education program Land Labs, and over 500 hours planting trees, removing invasives, and helping to protect our vital green spaces. In April, for National Volunteer Month, we want to take time to thank those who show up time and time again. We are made better through our time with each and every one of you. Together, we've laughed, sweated, endured rainstorms, hiked steep trails, spotted incredible wildlife, and made priceless memories. Thank you for sharing not only the gift of your time and energy, but also your stories, strength, resilience, humor, and heart. This month, we are proud to celebrate you — our wonderful volunteers — and everything we are able to accomplish as a community. | | | | | | Celebrating our 2025 Volunteer of the Year, Tim Bell | | | | Raised in Northern Arizona and inspired by 15 years in Japan during his time in the Navy, Tim developed a deep love of nature and community. After retiring, he found healing in the outdoors and began volunteering with GPC at Clear Creek Trail, repairing boardwalks and giving back to his community. Guided by a Shinto-inspired connection to nature, Tim is a dedicated leader and an absolute joy to work with! | | | | | | Early Bird Tickets: 2026 Conservation Celebration Rooted in Conservation, Connected in Community Presented by Puget Sound to Pacific Collaborative | |  | GPC’s signature fundraising event, the Conservation Celebration, will return on Thursday, June 4, 2026. We sold out last year (turns out you really love a good party for a good cause!), so this year we’re moving to the beautiful event space overlooking Agate Pass at the Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort—to welcome even more friends, fun, and fundraising for the lands we love. Don’t miss it! Hosted by KEXP DJ Morgan Chosnyk and honoring award winners Don & Judy Willott and Tim Bell, join us for this evening of conservation, community, and celebration! | | | | Early Bird Tickets by April 6 RSVP by May 26 | | | | | | Get your Official GPC Merchandise! | |  | We're excited to announce the launch of our new online merch store! Featuring apparel and accessories designed to celebrate the Great Peninsula and support our conservation work, every purchase directly funds our efforts to protect local habitats, preserve water quality, and engage our community. Wear your conservation pride and help us inspire others—shop now and make a difference with every item you choose. | | | | | | | | Stewardship Team in Search of a Sharpening Wizard ✨ | |  | Are you familiar with sharpening tools? Do you possess some skills and knowledge that you'd like to share with our stewardship department? We're looking for one volunteer to sharpen some of our non-motorized equipment (shovels, pick mattocks, axes, loppers). The volunteer can use our garage and gear to get the job done—they just have to know how to do it effectively. Interested volunteers should contact Micaela Petrini, Stewardship Manager, at [email protected]. | | | | | | | | Stillwaters Online Book Sales | | Want to expand your library in an environmentally friendly way? Shop Stillwaters’ online used book sale at AbeBooks. Stillwaters Environmental Center's long-running online book sale has continued, thanks to dedicated volunteers, through the transition to GPC. You can shop for our books online, all year round at AbeBooks! Click HERE to browse our online books for sale. If you are interested in donating books, we accept them all year long. Contact us at [email protected] for more information. | | | | | | | | | | Spring Land Labs Training Join GPC for Spring Land Labs Volunteer Training at Curley Creek Tyner Preserve and learn how to lead activities and explore salmon streams alongside students. No experience needed—we’ll equip you with all the tools and knowledge to guide students in nature. By attending this training, you’ll have the opportunity to volunteer during Spring Land Labs this season, making a direct impact on students’ environmental education. During our Spring Land Lab, students visit some of the most important places on our peninsula – the streams that support vital salmon runs every year. They learn about riparian zones, salmon ecology, and the importance of these ecosystems in supporting both wildlife and the community. When: April 9th, 1:00pm – 4:00pm Where: Port Orchard, WA | | | | | | | | April Clear Creek Trail Work Party No April Fools, just fun on the trail! Join us for our monthly work party at the Clear Creek Trail this April as we work on a variety of projects, including removing invasive plants, repairing boardwalks, picking up litter, and more. Enjoy springtime while exploring different sections of the trail with fellow volunteers and making a lasting impact on this cherished community asset! When: April 11th, 9:00am – 12:00pm Where: Silverdale, WA | | | | | | | | Forest Stewardship at Camp Join the Forest Stewards of the Key Peninsula, members of the Gig Harbor and Key Peninsula Land Fund, and GPC staff for a tour of Camp Seymour’s 100+ year-old forest. For more than a decade, the camp has practiced active forest stewardship through thinning, root rot management, hazard tree removal, and tree planting — offering a valuable chance to see what these actions look like after a decade of regrowth and how they might lead to healthier forests. After the tour, enjoy light snacks and refreshments while watching a presentation from GPC's Stewardship Director, Adrian Wolf, about forest conservation issues, and participate in a Q&A about emerging local conservation topics. When: April 19th, 1:00pm – 5:00pm Where: YMCA Camp Seymour, 9725 Cramer Rd NW, Gig Harbor, WA 98329 | | | | | | 2026 Kitsap County City Nature Challenge with GPC Join GPC for a bioblitz of the Carpenter Creek Watershed as part of the global City Nature Challenge! Be part of a coalition of Kitsap-based organizations documenting local plants, animals, and fungi to better understand the area’s ecological health. Groups of participants will explore locations throughout the watershed to find, identify, and document species, and we welcome budding and experienced naturalists of all experience levels and physical abilities. When: April 25th, 10:00am – 12:00pm Where: Silverdale, WA & Kingston, WA | | | | | | | | Weed Removal at Indianola Greenway Hall Preserve Join Great Peninsula Conservancy at Indianola Greenway Hall Preserve to work on ivy removal. This is important work to keep the preserve healthy and free of invasive plants that hinder the native species in the area. The Indianola Greenway Hall Preserve was acquired as part of an effort to create connected greenspaces in Indianola. This site consists of 22 acres of forest that was logged in the 1800s and has since grown into a mature deciduous and conifer mixed forest. This work party is a great opportunity to see this preserve while helping to keep this protected space a healthy habitat. When: April 25th, 10:00am - 12:30pm Where: Indianola, WA | | | | | | | | Volunteer Appreciation Open House Join Great Peninsula Conservancy for a volunteer appreciation gathering on April 22 from 5:30–7pm at the Red Barn! This spring celebration honors the community members who make our work possible while coinciding with Earth Week and National Volunteer Appreciation Month. Enjoy light refreshments, meet GPC staff and AmeriCorps members, and watch a special presentation featuring a new video about the Clear Creek Trail. GPC volunteers will also receive a thank-you gift to take home. All are welcome to attend—whether you’ve volunteered with us or are curious about getting involved! When: April 22nd, 5:30pm - 7:00pm Where: Silverdale, WA | | | | | | | | Friends of Miller Bay Upcoming Work Parties | | The Friends of Miller Bay (FOMB) work party schedule is live! FOMB regularly holds work parties at GPC preserves within Miller Bay. Come out, and meet neighbors and members who care about our environment! Be sure to sign the waiver on the FOMB Volunteer Page and sign up so they know you're coming. Upcoming Events: -
Saturday April 18, 9 am to 1 pm - Cowling Creek Forest Preserve -
Saturday May 23, 9 am to 1 pm - Miller Bay Preserve -
Saturday June 6, 9am to 1 pm - Cowling Creek Forest Preserve -
Saturday July 11, Annual Miller Bay Shoreline Clean up. For more information, visit the FOMB Calendar or contact Paul Dorn directly at [email protected] | | | | | | Letters of Support for Friends of Miller Bay Friends of Miller Bay has submitted an application for a Trust Land Transfer to protect a 40-acre parcel of DNR-owned land adjacent to the Miller Bay Preserve from timber harvesting and development, with the goal of creating 57 contiguous acres of protected habitat once approved. Community members can support the project by submitting letters of support to [email protected] or by mail (PO Box 37, Suquamish, WA 98392) by April 1, 2026, with these letters helping improve the project's ranking in the Trust Land Transfer review process. Learn more on the FOMB website. | | | | | | | | Check out what Eva Blair, our Stewardship Coordinator, has been up to as part of the 2026 Leadership Kitsap Signature Program Cohort! | | | | While continuing to protect our region’s beautiful green spaces, Eva and her Leadership Kitsap project team, Nourish & Flourish, have been working to raise awareness around food scarcity. In partnership with Bremerton Foodline, the team is installing a new Little Food Pantry and creating a digital toolkit to support food pantry efforts across the community, which will be hosted on the BFL website. Join her on April 11th at Bremerton Foodline for a celebration of caring for our neighbors! | | | | | | Thank you, 2026 Conservation Celebration Sponsors! | |  | | | 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. | | | | | | | |
