| | | |  | | | | | February News
Looking forward with new energy! | | | | Welcome to our new staff! | | Three new staff joined us in February! Join us in welcoming them and read on to learn about this new crop of talent! | | Great Peninsula Conservancy’s newest AmeriCorps VISTA member, Aaron Gaul will be aiding GPC’s efforts in land management and community engagement. Aaron is an Environmental Management graduate from Texas State University and was previously a public servant with Texas’s regulatory agency TCEQ, where he was an environmental investigator regulating air emissions in Houston, TX. | | As part of the Great Peninsula Conservancy administrative team, Michelle Graves will be responsible for a variety of administrative and human resource functions that support GPC staff, board, programs, and mission. Prior to joining GPC, Michelle was a director of expedition development with Lindblad Expeditions and a program director with the Biomimicry Institute. | | Brendan McGarry will be supporting development and communications efforts, further bolstering memberships and GPCs newsletters, website, and social media. He has extensive experience working in environmental nonprofits across Washington State, and was previously the outreach coordinator for Vashon Nature Center. | | | | Check out our staff page for more about our new team members! | | | |  | The Legacy Society at Great Peninsula Conservancy honors members who have included GPC in their estate planning. Fueled by a $20,000 match, GPC launched a Legacy Challenge to increase the impact of each legacy pledge received this year. We thank and welcome GPC's newest Legacy Society members: GPC Board Director Dave Morris and his wife Merrillyn (Mame) Morris. Read Dave and Merrillyn's member highlight and learn more about making a legacy gift to local conservation at the link below! | | | | | | Newberry Woods Community Forest Update | |  | Over the last two months, GPC held three forest tours and three community meetings to discuss the new 202-acre Newberry Woods Community Forest. A big thanks to everyone who participated and shared their feedback about the future of this property. You can review the results of the meetings on our website here. GPC is implementing the community's input into the management plans and will be convening a Community Forest Advisory Team. Stay tuned to learn more! Miss your chance to tour the property? We'll be holding more community events this spring! | | | | 1200 Trees Planted at Hansville Greenway Expansion! | | | | A team of dedicated volunteers and staff planted a thousand trees over the course of two days in February at the Hansville Greenway Expansion project. Check out photos of the crew jumpstarting restoration of the 100-acre site on our blog! | | | | | | | | | | | |  | We're excited to announce that ticket registration for the June 1st Conservation Celebration will open in March! In addition to our keynote address by Hilary Franz, we're thrilled to share the winner of this year's Gary Allen Cunningham Conservation Award: Phil Best! Phil is one of GPC's longest advocates and founders—please join us to celebrate him and GPC's entire conservation community! Interested in sponsoring the event? Or would you like to reserve a table to ensure priority seating with your guests? Please contact katherine@greatpeninsula.org.
| | | | | |  | Join us on Saturday, March 11th from 11am-1pm for a Walk and Talk event featuring the community science endeavors of Terence Lee, Science Director at Nisqually Reach Nature Center. Together, we’ll explore the shoreline of GPC’s Johnson South Sound Refuge and learn about how forage fish monitoring can add to our knowledge of the ocean ecosystem and its health. | | | | | |  | Dr. Michael Pavel is a professor, author, artist, and Tradition Bearer of the South Salish Culture. Join GPC on March 18th from 11am-1pm to take a walk with Dr. Pavel as we explore the origins of the Hahobas placename in the Twana language (təw'ánəxʷ), and the legacy of land stewardship practiced by the Skokomish Tribe that continues to this day. | | | | | | | | Land Labs AmeriCorps VISTA Team | | | | | | Our Land Labs AmeriCorps VISTA team officially launched two years ago! The members of each cohort dedicate a year of service to support GPC's conservation, stewardship, and engagement mission, with specific focus on Land Labs, the youth education program. Here's an update on the members! We're happy to share that Jaime Webb, GPC's Education Coordinator has renewed his term of service to support the Land Labs team for another year. Meanwhile, we're welcoming Aaron Gaul to the team as our second Community Stewardship Coordinator, alongside Beatrice Lincke. Past members transitioned into exciting career and education opportunities: Peter Alexander, MA student at Northern Illinois University
Thea Hanner, Development & Communications Coordinator at Bainbridge Island Land Trust
Sierra Kross, Natural Resources Coordinator with Kitsap County Parks
Hannah McDonough, Project Manager at Washington Water Trust
Know of someone who would be a great fit for the AmeriCorps VISTA program at Great Peninsula Conservancy? Send them our way! Our next VISTA cohort will be starting their year of service in June of 2023 and we are currently seeking applicants for positions in education, stewardship and communications. GPC's careers page has all the details. | | | | | | Community Volunteer Events | | | | Forest Work Party at North Kitsap Heritage Park
March 11, 9am to noon This work party happens on the second Saturday of every month. Bring water, gloves, and yard tools. Contact Jayne Larson with questions: 2jaynenkhp@gmail.com | | | | Friends of Miller Bay (FOMB) Weed Warriors
March 18, 10am to noon FOMB will be working on the Miller Bay Preserve shoreline to grub out English ivy & holly and beat back the blackberries along the southern border. If you have any frustrations or tensions that you’d like to get rid of in the new year, have they got an activity for you! Contact Janine Moss with questions: janinemmoss@gmail.com / 360-697-7195 | | | | Forest Work Party at Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park
3rd Saturday of every month, 9am to noon
Meet at Bayview Trailhead, SR HWY 104 and bring water, gloves, and yard tools! | | | | Kitsap Water Festival
Tuesday, April 18th, 8am to 3pm
Kitsap County Fairgrounds The annual Water Festival hosts up to 1,000 third and fourth grade students from across the county. Students learn the importance of protecting precious water resources and practical ways to implement water quality measures at home. Volunteers are needed to help with games, activities, and setup and breakdown of the festival. In return, volunteers get to work outside, have fun, and are provided breakfast snacks, lunch, and an official Kitsap Water Festival t-shirt. Learn more at https://www.kpud.org/water-festival/. | | | | | | We hope you enjoy our monthly news — help spread the word and share this email with a friend. | | | | |
