grand forest Tag

21 Feb Bainbridge Island Land Trust, with the support of the Parks & Trails Foundation, launches campaign to protect 39 acres as public park at Grand Forest East

News Mac Davenport BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WA – The Bainbridge Island Land Trust with the support of the Bainbridge Island Parks & Trails Foundation have launched a campaign to raise funds to protect 39 acres at Grand Forest East, allowing purchase by the Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District.   The Park District on February 21, 2025, announced its intent to purchase the property, contingent on a successful fundraising campaign. With negotiations now underway, the fundraising campaign, Stand for the Grand Forest, is expected to be over $2 million, said Cullen Brady, Executive Director, Bainbridge Island Land Trust.  The Board of the Bainbridge Island School District voted to surplus the 39-acre property. “This is an urgent campaign,” Brady said. “The School District’s January 9, 2025, action to surplus and sell this property, among their first order of business in the new year, started the clock ticking. We need the community to join us in protecting the Grand Forest as we know and enjoy it.”  The parcel is adjacent to Grand Forest East and has long been maintained as part of the Island’s park, trail, and nature preserve networks. Partners hope to complete the fundraising campaign and purchase by the Park District this spring. “Acquiring this property and formally protecting it for conservation and recreation has been a longtime goal of the Park District, and this is an opportunity to realize that goal,” said Dan Hamlin, Executive Director of the Park & Recreation District. “We can’t make this purchase without the community’s help, so we’re thrilled that the Land Trust and Parks & Trails Foundation are partnering on this fundraising campaign.”   The property holds significant conservation value for forest, wildlife habitat, and climate resilience. This campaign is associated with the Land Trust’s ongoing acquisition movement, dedicated to conserving the Island’s most cherished natural habitats. The Land... READ MORE

07 Jan Bainbridge Island Land Trust and Parks & Trails Foundation to work with community to protect the 39-acre parcel in Grand Forest system  

News Mac Davenport January 10, 2025 | Bainbridge Island, WA The Bainbridge Island Land Trust and the Bainbridge Island Parks & Trails Foundation acknowledge the recent announcement by the Bainbridge Island School District (BISD) that it plans to surplus, or sell, its 39-acre property that functions as part of Grand Forest East parkland. The Grand Forest nature complex is a treasured Bainbridge Island landscape, known for its interconnected trail network, intact forest core and vital natural habitats.  Recognizing the conservation and recreational value of this land, our organizations are united in our commitment to protect it permanently, ensuring that it remains undeveloped and accessible to the community for future generations. On January 9, the School Board voted to surplus the 39-acre parcel. The Land Trust and Parks & Trails Foundation will work closely with the Bainbridge Island community, local leaders, and other stakeholders as we explore ways to safeguard this valuable resource. We encourage everyone to join us in helping to conserve one of the Island’s most beloved natural and recreational spaces. A Brief History on the Grand Forest and this 39-acre parcel This parcel and the surrounding lands, known today as the Grand Forest, were originally managed by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to generate revenue for public education through timber harvests or land sales. In the late 1980s, plans by the State to sell the land prompted local activism. The “Committee to Save the DNR Forest” joined the Bainbridge Island Land Trust and Park District to fundraise through a bond levy, successfully protecting the first 240 acres of the Grand Forest, including the original Grand Forest West, North, and East (southern tract) parcels. At the same time, this 39-acre parcel was acquired by the Bainbridge Island School District (BISD) to serve as a potential school site based on projected population growth. As growth slowed... READ MORE