Author: Lexi Wagor

15 Feb Species Spotlight: River Otter (Lutra canadensis)

News Lexi Wagor

Did you know river otters can hold their breath for up to 8 minutes while under water? They can even close their nostrils to keep water out during long dives. The playful river otter spends about two thirds of its time on land, but is an expert swimmer so it can use the water to travel and seek out food. These mammals have long, slim bodies with short, webbed feet and long, strong tails – allowing them to swim upwards of seven miles per hour and dive to depths of 60 feet! As you probably know, the waters around here can be quite cold! To combat the often frigid water temperatures, river otters have a thick protective coat. In order to keep their fur water resistant and properly insulating, otters have to groom themselves frequently. They wash themselves after every meal! Often spotted from the many shorelines of Bainbridge Island, the river otter is sometimes mistaken for its significantly larger cousin the sea otter. But what’s the difference between the two? The most obvious difference is size: a river otter is only about half to a third of the size of a sea otter. River otters swim with their bellies down, while sea otters float on their backs at the water’s surface. Sea otters also have short and stubby tails in comparison to those of river otters. Sea otters do not reside in Puget Sound, they are only found along the coast and occasionally in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. River otters are found all over the state, and across much of North America! River otters are pretty adaptable and can live in nearly any habitat near water as long as there is enough food around. These creatures have high metabolisms and have to eat frequently. Luckily, they will…

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27 Jan Watch the 2022 Annual Meeting

News Lexi Wagor

Featuring a look back at the last year and forward to what’s to come in 2022, award recipients, an intro to our new Board members and a goodbye to those whose service is up, and more!  

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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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08 Dec Cullen Brady Announced as Executive Director

News Lexi Wagor Cullen Brady to take the helm with passion, leadership, and experience at the Island’s leading conservation organization. The Bainbridge Island Land Trust has named Cullen Brady its next Executive Director. Brady, who is currently the Director of Development and Communications with the Land Trust, will begin his new role on January 1, 2022. Brady served for two years on the Board of Directors of the Land Trust, including on the organization’s Executive Committee, before joining the staff. During his time as a Board member and as Director of Development and Communications, Brady helped develop and lead the unprecedented Stand for the Land campaign – which has raised nearly $8 million for Island conservation and protected over 100 acres of critical habitats. He also led the development and adoption of the organization’s current five-year strategic plan. Prior to his involvement with the Land Trust, Brady served in development and government relations roles with The Wilderness Society, Sustainable Northwest, and The Nature Conservancy. "Cullen’s conservation experience, innovative thinking, and reputation as an inspiring and engaging leader make him ideally suited to shape the next chapter of the Land Trust’s 32-year history." Ed Gilbert, Board President As Executive Director, Brady will help advance the organization’s new strategic goals while fostering collaboration with Island and regional organizations. Cullen’s commitment to conservation and this community is unwavering – and under his leadership, the Land Trust’s focus on the land and waters that nourish us, the wildlife we share our habitat with, and the impacts that ripple out into Puget Sound will only grow stronger. - Jane Stone, Retiring Executive DirectorI am confident that through our search that Cullen is the right person to lead the organization at a critical time for our community. I look forward to working closely with Cullen and his team to... READ MORE

22 Oct Fall Newsletter out now!

News Lexi Wagor

Print copies are on their way to your mailbox, and digital copies are now on our website. With this installment of the Bainbridge Island Land Trust’s bi-annual newsletter, you’ll be up to date on all of the incredible work we’re doing to support people, wildlife, and natural places on the Island. Check out it to hear about: – The conservation success of Rockaway Bluff Preserve – An update from the Forest Stewardship Advisory Group – A thoughtful goodbye from our retiring Executive Director Jane Stone – State and federal funds recently awarded to support Stand for the Land – The new volunteer group Friends of Agate Passage Preserve And so much more! Click Here to View the Fall 2021 Newsletter

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