January 2022

13 Jan Conservation Success: 10-Acre Property Transfer Expands the Grand Forest

News Lexi Wagor

10 acres, 7 years, 5 partners. Looking into the property from the Cross Island Trail in the Grand Forest.  © Paul Brians If you’re traveling through Grand Forest West and headed towards Hilltop, you’ll pass a large swath of lush, mature forest to the south not long before you reach the switchbacks. In fact, two main trails border this parcel. Because of its near-pristine nature, one might think it was already protected – and now it is. Thanks to a common vision of conservation between the landowner and a great many partners and supporters, this woodland will soon be a part of the Grand Forest This 10-acre property was on the mind of many Islanders when discussions to conserve it began in 2014. Not long after in 2015, the Land Trust launched the Grand Forest Grander campaign to purchase the parcel as well as two others in the vicinity. Fast forward through hundreds of hours of negotiations to 2021, and the Land Trust paid off the property with community-raised funds. This multi-year effort expands on our partnership properties. The Land Trust is transferring the ownership, care, and stewardship of this special parcel to the Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District (BIMPRD) to expand the Grand Forest complex.

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13 Jan Species Spotlight: Coyote (Canis latrans)

News Lexi Wagor

“The wolf we tried to erase but ended up in our backyard.” – Dan Flores, author of Coyote America. A snowy coyote stares at our camera trap located in the Wildlife Corridor. For most of us, coyotes are more often seen than heard with their howling and yips echoing through the night skies. In fact, their Latin name, Canis latrans, can be translated to “barking dog.” These incredibly intelligent creatures use about a dozen different vocalizations to communicate with each other. One of the most resilient carnivores in North America, the coyote is one of the species often captured in the photos collected by our remote wildlife cameras. Coyotes belong to the genus Canis, which also includes the gray wolves that used to roam most of this continent. Now, there are 19 subspecies of coyote that can be found in almost every ecosystem in North America. So why have coyotes been able to thrive? To put it simply, the coyote specializes in adaptability. Back in 2019, one of our cameras snapped this photo of a coyote making a meal of a large opossum! While most wild animals tend to stick to natural landscapes, coyotes can live in suburban and urban habitats. Bainbridge Island Land Trust volunteers help monitor coyote activity on the Island through the Seattle Urban Carnivore Project. This project, launched by Woodland Park Zoo and Seattle University in 2019, studies how carnivores like coyotes, raccoons, otters, and bears live and interact with people in such landscapes in an effort to support our coexistence. Community science is critical to this project. Teams of volunteers regularly check and maintain motion-activated “camera traps” that remotely capture photos of animals passing through. These photos are used to gather data about how these carnivores use these spaces. According to the Carnivore Spotter Annual…

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07 Jan Save the Date – 2022 Annual Meeting & Open House

Events Lexi Wagor

Just like last year, we are taking our Annual Meeting virtual. The program will be available to watch on our website on January 28th.  But we miss you, and the land does too! So, we’ve come up with an additional exciting opportunity for our community to supplement our virtual meeting. The Land Trust is delighted to announce a new element of this year’s Annual Meeting – an “open house” on one of our Preserves. Drop by any time between 10 am and 1 pm on Saturday, January 29th to tour Springbrook Creek Preserve, learn about the importance of the watershed, and get to know the Land Trust. Bring your families, friends, and neighbors – this is a community event! Springbrook Creek Preserve is an incredible, diverse 23-acre property that encompasses meadows, a wetland and a stream, and a mature upland forest. With the Preserve not yet open to the public, this is an event that you won’t want to miss. Please be prepared for wet weather and uneven, muddy terrain. Tours will be running on a drop-in basis, and we will send groups out as they arrive. This is a great opportunity to learn from our knowledgeable staff out in the field, who will be set up at different stations throughout the property. Binoculars are recommended for those who enjoy birds and wildlife! Pastries and warm drinks will be available for your enjoyment! To minimize waste, we ask that you bring your own thermos or mug. Whether you are interested in stopping by for a coffee and a chat or to take the tour of Springbrook Creek Preserve, we hope to see you there! Questions about the open house? Email Lexi or call our office at (206) 842-1216.

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