Over the past few weeks, Great Peninsula Conservancy started a new tradition: meeting up on Fridays to introduce the new staff to community partners and members and visit the GPC preserves across our working region. Our new AmeriCorps members, Sierra Kross and Janessa Hollmaier, are getting out on the land to think about possible use…
GPC Land Labs
(Population biologist Tom Doty nets Curley Creek for signs of amphibian residents.) The Great Peninsula Conservancy (GPC) Land Labs program will utilize local protected lands to enhance the quality of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education in Bremerton, Washington schools. Hands-on science projects will support the vision of the Washington State Environmental and Sustainability Literacy Plan and meet the requirements of Washington State Science and…
North Kitsap Divide Block Community Forest: A Call to Action
Community Forest Program Grant Great Peninsula Conservancy, with the support of a coalition of community partners, is hoping to finalize the last project in the Kitsap Forest and Bay Community Campaign after more than a decade. A new grant opportunity would allow GPC to acquire the 487-acre North Kitsap Divide Block Community Forest. Funding for…
Great Peninsula Conservancy receives federal and state grants to protect Misery Point on Hood Canal
BREMERTON, WA (January 13, 2021) – A conservation partnership has protected the 20.7-acre Misery Point Preserve on Hood Canal near Seabeck. Great Peninsula Conservancy (GPC), the regional land trust operating in Kitsap, north Mason, and west Pierce counties, received funding from the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program through partnership with the Washington State Department of…
“A One of a Kind Naturalist and Educator”
In a recent Kitsap Sun article, journalist Josh Farley drew attention to the amazing lifetime achievements of Kitsap county arborist and community forester Jim Trainer. Jim was an incredible advocate for local conservation efforts, and he spent many years leading educational tours for Great Peninsula Conservancy on our preserves and local greenspaces. Former GPC staff…
Have You Met the Neighbors?
When news of COVID-19 swept the nation early last spring, it marked the beginning of a period of drastic change in many of our daily lives. This was no exception for the staff of Great Peninsula Conservancy. Almost overnight, we transitioned to working from home. GPC’s Spring Dinner was postponed and eventually cancelled, as were…
Great Peninsula Conservancy Earns National Recognition
Bremerton, Washington (Aug. 20, 2020) – One thing that unites us as a nation is land: Americans strongly support saving the open spaces they love. Founded in 2000, Great Peninsula Conservancy (GPC) has been doing just that for the people of west Puget Sound for the last twenty years. Great Peninsula Conservancy now announces it…
Celebrating Gary Cunningham’s Legacy
For half a century, Gary Cunningham lead the way for conservation in the Puget Sound region. As one of the founding fathers of Great Peninsula Conservancy, Gary’s recent passing has been keenly felt by our board, staff, and members. It is hard to envision GPC without Gary, but we know that every acre protected is…
A Farewell Letter from Kit
My first thought when I was invited to put something in the newsletter on ending my time as GPC’S president for two years and “terming off” the board was stage fright, but I realized I appreciate the chance to say how much I’ve missed being in contact with you all! The last item on the…
The Big and Small of Land Acquisition
As Conservation Project Manager, Brenna Thompson has helped oversee several of Great Peninsula Conservancy’s recent land transactions. In this month’s blog post, she identifies how GPC’s conservation team identifies projects to acquire, including working with partners on large-scale projects, prioritizing climate-resilient lands, and expanding existing preserves. She also addresses a common question we receive from…