February 2023

08 Feb Bainbridge Island Land Trust Awarded State Grant to Help Protect Rockaway Bluff Preserve

News Emily Gaskin One of the last remaining intact mature forests of its size on the Island, Rockaway Bluff Preserve will continue to provide a sanctuary for wildlife Bainbridge Island. Bainbridge Island Land Trust was awarded a grant of $1,374,552 from the State’s Recreation and Conservation Office’s Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) for the acquisition and stewardship of Rockaway Bluff Preserve. WWRP seeks to acquire valuable habitat lands across Washington State before they are lost to other uses. The Land Trust will use this grant to offset the acquisition cost of the property, the development of a long-term stewardship plan, invasive species control, and signage. When the 35-acre parcel of mature intact forest became available in 2020, the Land Trust saw the unique opportunity. Together with the community and supporters, they worked with steadfast determination to develop a plan to acquire the property and establish the Rockaway Bluff Preserve. The Land Trust recently acquired an additional 10 acres adjacent to the Preserve, bringing the intact, protected lands to 45 acres. Within the Preserve, grand fir, Douglas-fir, and bigleaf maple tower over a dense and diverse understory that includes salal, huckleberry, and ferns. The lush vegetation provides food and habitat for a variety of bird species, including eagles, ospreys, and seabirds, as well as mammals such as deer and coyotes. Rockaway Bluff also connects with a network of wetlands, streams, and forests already conserved in nearby Blakely Harbor Park, IslandWood, Pritchard Park, and the Cougar Creek Preserve. These ecological features make Rockaway Bluff Preserve a valuable resource for wildlife and humans, contributing to a network of climate-resilient lands on Bainbridge Island. Later this year, the Land Trust plans to open Rockaway Bluff Preserve to low-impact public use. This past week, visitors had a unique opportunity to attend an Open House at the Preserve.... READ MORE

03 Feb Bainbridge Island Land Trust Welcomes Three New Board Members

News Emily Gaskin

The Bainbridge Island Land Trust is pleased to announce the election of three new members to their Board of Directors: Laurie Miller, Tom Ringo, and Nora Nickum. With their diverse backgrounds and expertise, these new board members will play a vital role in furthering the mission of the Land Trust to protect natural resources on Bainbridge Island for future generations. Laurie Miller is a non-profit leader with a strong background in fundraising and community engagement. Following a seasoned career at Islandwood, Laurie currently serves as the Financial Advisor to Global Child Nutrition Foundation. Tom Ringo is an experienced business executive with a passion for sustainability and the environment. Tom worked for Price Waterhouse and Westin Hotel Company in Seattle before moving to Kitsap County in the late 1980’s to take a position with Pope Resources, a publicly traded timber and real estate company based in Poulsbo. Nora Nickum grew up on Bainbridge Island and currently serves as the Senior Ocean Policy Manager for the Seattle Aquarium. Previously as a Senior Climate Change Adaptation Specialist, Nora served on the US negotiating team to the UNFCCC, and sat on the Climate Change Advisory Committee to the Bainbridge Island City Council. Nora is also a children’s author writing about nature and conservation. The Bainbridge Island Land Trust would like to extend its sincere gratitude to outgoing board members, Ed Gilbert, Asha Rehnberg, and Merle Montani for their dedicated service.

READ MORE