News

31 Aug Conservation Success – 10 Acres Protected Along North Fork Manzanita Creek

News Lexi Wagor

North Fork Manzanita Creek by John Knox Little Manzanita Bay is home to Coho salmon, cutthroat trout, and more. Our community protected its undisturbed estuary as the 13-acre Miller-Kirkman Preserve in 2017. We’re excited to announce that together we have protected nearly 10 acres immediately north of the preserve! This expansion contains a 787-foot stretch of the creek and a rich wetland complex – providing ample room for young salmon to grow into strong, healthy adults. Protection is just the first step in this journey and stewardship is necessary to care for this Island landscape. Caring community members like you are critical in these efforts. Donate to Stand for the Land Please note that this property is not open to the public at this time, thank you for your understanding!

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20 Jul Five Reasons to Join a Work Party

News Lexi Wagor

The Land Trust hosts a stewardship work party at one of our conserved properties on the first Wednesday of every month. Thinking of joining a work party? Here’s a couple of reasons why we love them! Volunteers share a homemade pie after a morning of removing invasive Himalayan blackberry from the Quitslund Preserve. Meet new people Work parties are a great way to meet other enthusiastic volunteers and conservation-minded community members! The trail entrance at Cougar Creek Preserve. Visit unique conservation lands Work parties take place on lands conserved by the Land Trust across Bainbridge Island. They are fantastic opportunities to explore new places, visit private conservation easements, or get a sneak peek of newly acquired properties before they’re open to the public. Stewardship Manager, Andrew Fraser, teaches volunteers the difference between native salmonberry and invasive blackberry species. Learn something new Talented and knowledgeable Land Trust staff lead our work parties. You can pick up a new skill like trail building or tree planting, learn about the native species that surround us, and learn how to distinguish the pesky invasive species we are working hard to remove. Local Boy Scouts assisting in the removal of invasive English Holly at a work party. Support the Land Trust’s ongoing stewardship efforts With nearly 1,500 acres of Land Trust-protected lands on the Island, volunteer efforts are critical in supporting the care of these places! A small salamander that was revealed after removing invasive blackberry species. Build a deeper connection to Bainbridge Island Land stewardship is about all about how we care for the land. Physically caring for the land helps us build our relationship with it and take responsibility for the place we call home.   Want to register for a work party? Click here. We hope to see you at a work…

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21 Jun Take a Walk on the Beach: Tips for Exploring at Low Tide

News Lexi Wagor

 An Ochre sea star exposed at low tide by Sue Larkin Last week, Puget Sound had its lowest tides in 13 years! If you missed them, don’t worry – they’ll return again in July. Low tides and summer sun make for a perfect day of exploring the shorelines of Bainbridge Island. We recommend checking out Rockaway Beach Park, Agate Passage Preserve, Hawley Cove Park, and Pritchard Park. The Land Trust had a hand in protecting all of these incredible public access beaches! Remember to practice good beach etiquette when exploring at the beach! Here are a few tips to make sure you’re taking care of all of the creatures you’ll see at low tide: Watch your step! There are creatures of all sizes all around you, including under your feet. Do your best to step only on hard or clear surfaces. If there are patches of eelgrass, walk around them instead of through them – many animals seek shelter in eelgrass. Leave no trace. Leave shells at the beach, they act as homes for many creatures. Always replace rocks if you move them. Only turn over rocks that you can lift with one hand, and do so gently. Many creatures survive or hide by clinging to the underside of rocks. Leaving a rock upturned leaves them exposed and vulnerable. Pick up trash! On any walk, it’s always nice to carry a small bag and pick up trash that you find for proper disposal. Only touch animals you find on the beach with one finger. Wet your finger with salt water before doing so, and be gentle. Refrain from picking them up. Happy exploring! A sea lemon (a type of sea slug) in a tidepool by Lexi Wagor Want to share photos and stories of your low tide adventures? Email them to Lexi at…

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15 Feb Volunteer with the Seattle Urban Carnivore Project

News Lexi Wagor

Wildlife Camera Trapping Research on Bainbridge Island Woodland Park Zoo (WPZ) and Seattle University scientists collaborated to launch the Seattle Urban Carnivore Project (SUCP) in 2019. This effort explores how carnivores—those in the scientific order Carnivora such as coyotes, black bears, raccoons, and bobcats—live and interact with people across the greater Seattle area. Researchers and volunteers with the Seattle Urban Carnivore Project deploy over 40 wildlife cameras across the greater Seattle area following the study design established by UWIN, the Urban Wildlife Information Network, coordinated by Lincoln Park Zoo’s Urban Wildlife Institute. The cameras are located within green spaces along either a north transect, a south transect or off-transect. The transects lie along an urban-to-rural gradient in the greater Seattle area and project volunteers manage about two-thirds of the camera stations. On Bainbridge Island, the cameras are located on Land Trust properties. We are currently recruiting returning and new volunteers to join the effort for the next season (the camera trapping season runs April 2022 – March 2023). Want to learn more? Read the full description here. Training (required; via Zoom) – Saturday, March 12th from 9:30  – 11:30 a.m. To sign-up as a volunteer and let us know your site and training preferences (make sure to note Bainbridge Island as your area preference!), please complete this form by 2/25:https://forms.gle/wYY2NXUCAbnP6RNK9

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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