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Staff and volunteers after a morning of stewardship at Lay Wildrose Preserve.

 

May News
It's time to bloom!

 

Registration closes on May 18th!

This is your last chance to get tickets!

 

 

Click here to learn more about the Conservation Sponsor: Puget Sound to Pacific!

 

Thanks to our 2023 Lead Sponsors!

 

Conservation Celebration 

Auction Items!

GPC has an exciting lineup of items to bid on during the Conservation Celebration! Learn about the ways you can support GPC and take home some beautiful art or go on a fabulous trip by clicking the link below.

 

Conservation

 

Grovers Creek Campaign a Success!

Administrative Manager Michelle Graves appreciating a western redcedar in the Grovers Creek Expansion.

Earlier this spring, GPC launched a community campaign to raise $237,000 to purchase 38.5 acres of mature upland and wetland forest adjacent to GPC's Grovers Creek Preserve. Thanks to members like you, this land will be protected forever! Preserving large blocks of high-quality wildlife habitat not only provides the space and resources for animals to thrive, but these forest lands are increasingly important in creating a climate resilient landscape. 

 

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.

No matter the amount, the next 15 members who submit a Legacy Society pledge form will activate a $1,000 donation to GPC's conservation work!

 

Stewardship

 

Update on Acoustic Monitoring 

This May, GPC secured a second round of funding from Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative, which supported an ongoing study to better understand how birds respond to forest management activities. This time, GPC was awarded the grant through a joint application with Jefferson Land Trust to establish a study on their conservation lands!

The stewardship team recently deployed ten AudioMoth remote acoustic monitoring devices and is currently analyzing the acoustic data to "mine" >10,000 sound files for our target species. The sonogram above shows the "signatures" for spotted towhee (SPTO), cedar waxwing (CEDW), and Pacific-slope Flycatcher (PSFL).  

 

Partnering for the Planet!  

GPC staff and US Navy volunteers clearing Scotch broom at Newberry Woods Community Forest. 

GPC hosted two successful days of stewardship at Newberry Woods Community Forest for Earth Day in late April. Thanks to support from the US Navy and the Port of Bremerton, volunteers made a big dent in Scotch broom removal!

Read more about Newberry Woods Community Forest and the partnerships making this project possible in the Kitsap Sun.

 

Land Labs

 

Watershed Lessons with Land Labs 

This spring GPC staff and volunteers worked with students from South Colby Elementary, Catalyst Public Schools, and Mountain View Middle School to deliver watershed health curriculum. Land Labs brought a combined 173 Students to Curley Creek Preserve to learn about watershed health and the organisms that call the creek home!

 

Recap: Wildlife Tracking Walk and Talk

GPC's Ben Wymer examining animal sign at Newberry Woods.

The April Wildlife Tracking Walk and Talk was a great success! GPC Stewardship Associate Ben Wymer lead participants in understanding the track and signs of little seen species at Newberry Woods Community Forest. Read about what the group discovered during their visit below! 

 

Events

 

Join Great Peninsula Conservancy for Second Wednesday Work Parties! This June we will be returning to Klingel-Bryan-Beard Wildlife Refuge to remove blackberry and Scotch broom bushes that are encroaching on the saplings that were planted last year. Come check on the status of your saplings and help us make sure they grow tall enough to fight the weeds! 

When: Wednesday, June 14th, from 9am-11am   

Where: Klingel-Bryan-Beard Wildlife Refuge in Belfair, WA 

Questions? Email Beatrice at beatrice@greatpeninsula.org  

 

Join us on Saturday, May 27th from 9-11am to think about the art of nature journaling with GPC Stewardship Associate Micaela Petrini. Together, the group will explore the unique habitats that make up the beautiful Cowling Creek Preserve. Prepare to slow down, relax your busy mind, and engage more deeply with the natural world through journaling exercises and artistic prompts. Bring your notebook, mobile art supplies, and your best journaling questions!

 

The Clear Creek Task Force (CCTF), an independent program of GPC, is seeking new volunteers and members for their leadership team. GPC will be guiding a leadership transition happening over the next couple of months and welcomes anyone who would like to get involved in CCTF's work to preserve, protect, and restore the Clear Creek ecosystem through education, restoration, community science, and trail work. 

 
 

Like what we're up to?

Membership contributions are vital to GPC's mission.

 
 

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Great Peninsula Conservancy

423 Pacific Avenue, Suite 300
Bremerton, WA 98337
membership@greatpeninsula.org
(360) 373-3500

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