Participate in the
Forest Stewards Workshop
Over four Saturdays and four Mondays (30 hours) from September 6 to September 29, the Kitsap Environmental Coalition, with grant support from the WA Native Plant Society’s South Sound Chapter, will hold a
Forest Habitat Stewards Workshop
to educate 20 adults about forest health, ecology of plants and animals, and restoration.
Lectures
will occur in
NE Bremerton
on
Monday mornings 9:00-12:30,
starting
September 8
.
Field experiences
at a variety of forests across the Kitsap Peninsula will occur on
Saturdays
for circa 4 hours between
9:00 AM and 2:00 PM
.
There will be no certification upon completion of this workshop. There is no requirement to volunteer for additional hours after workshop, but we do encourage volunteering with organizations needing stewards. Existing forest stewards trained by Arno Bergstrom may be asked to help.
Contact
David Onstad
for more information and an application form.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Green Mountain is worth more standing
, it is one of the last wild places on the Kitsap Peninsula, beloved by recreationists and home to vulnerable species and imperiled ecosystems.
Green Mountain State Forest spans 6,500 acres and contains some of the
last remaining native forests on the Kitsap Peninsula
. In a region heavily impacted by urban development and industrial clearcutting, these forests offer one of the Puget Lowlands'
best remaining chances to restore a large, contiguous expanse of old-growth habitat.
Geologically, Green Mountain stands apart. While much of the surrounding Puget Lowlands were shaped by glacial deposits from the last Ice Age, Green Mountain and its neighboring hills are formed from volcanic basalt over 2.5 million years old. This
ancient bedrock supports rare ecosystems found nowhere else in the region
, including Kitsap County’s only significant cliff system on Green Mountain’s expansive, roadless south slope.
|
|
At the KEC-hosted
Preserving Natural Areas through Action Workshop
on June 26, Joshua Wright of the Legacy Forest Defense Coalition (pictured in the top banner) alerted us “
it is clear that to be successful on Green Mountain, we need to up the pressure on the County Commissioners, and make sure that they are hearing from as many constituents as possible in support of protecting the mountain.
”
HOW YOU CAN HELP
|
|
| KEC News and Summer Plans
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We are very pleased that the Kitsap Board of County Commissioners has voted to
Keep Kitsap Green
, by protecting rural Kitsap from large-scale residential overdevelopment. |
Thank you,
everyone who spoke up, wrote in, or posted their desire to protect Kitsap County from overdevelopment. Your voices and actions made a difference!
Read about the June 23rd decision.
|
|
|
|
|
|
KEC Presents
is NOT presenting in July or August, but is heading outdoors for a bit of naturalizing, and will return to Kingston Village Green with a
Year of the Rural
presentation on
Sept 21
.
………………………..
5-Year Strategic Planning and Celebration
Meanwhile, Kitsap Environmental Coalition invites
Members
to a milestone event on
July 20
from
3 to 5
PM
at the
Kingston Village Green
. We'll celebrate our achievements over the past year and collaboratively plan our future direction.
The Coalition has significantly influenced the County’s Comprehensive Plan to balance development with environmental protection, and has helped eliminate rural residential rezones to "
Keep Kitsap Green
." We’ve also supported neighborhood groups protecting rural spaces and have hosted forums on nature and wildlife topics at our monthly KEC Presents.
On July 20, instead of our usual KEC Presents, we’ll focus on developing our strategy for the upcoming years. Your input is crucial, so please come prepared with your ideas. Refreshments will be provided;
we just need your presence to make this event a success!
Learn more and RSVP
for our
5-Year Strategic Planning and Celebration
Becoming a New Member or Renewing is now fast and easy
–
simply click to get started!
|
|
|
|
By popular demand, joining KEC is now
online
. We will also continue to make improvements to our website throughout the summer.
If you are interested in being on the new website review team, please
reply here
.
|
|
|
|
We welcome you to join KEC as we strive to
Keep Kitsap GREEN
—the goal of restoring ecological balance. In the face of the climate crisis and the relentless expansion of suburban areas encroaching on Kitsap County’s forests and streams, we must do more than prevent further damage to our natural spaces - we must actively work toward ecological restoration. We advocate for policies that protect Kitsap’s rural areas from overdevelopment, insisting that all building developments fully mitigate the damage they do to forests, waters, and wildlife. We protect and work to enhance wildlife corridors, clean water sources, biodiversity, and vibrant communities.
Your membership and donations are 100% tax-deductible under our 501(c)(3) non-profit status.
|
|
| Enl!ghten Forum: Commissioner Christine Rolfes - July 18
|
|
|
Christine Rolfes
On Local Leadership: A Window into Regional Priorities and Politics
-
July 18, 6pm
During her talk, Kitsap County Commissioner Christine Rolfes will draw on her experience in local and state elected office to update us on regional initiatives in healthcare, housing, transportation, and environmental protection, and provide commentary or insight into topical items of interest.
|
|
| Friends of Miller Bay - July 19
|
|
|
|
|
Please mark your calendars and join us for this community event!
Miller Bay Martin Marine Park- Seacrest Ave NE
Questions? Contact Sheri Flynn
mgfsbf@comcast.net
|
|
|
|
Friends of Miller Bay seeks Board members!
Get involved with a local, non-profit grassroots organization focused on protecting and preserving the Miller Bay watershed. We look for opportunities to care for our unique ecosystem through stewardship, preservation and education. Several Board positions are open for a 2-year term beginning 01/01/26.
Contact: Karen Molinari,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Great Peninsula Conservancy
|
|
|
|
|
| KEC -
Supporting Our Work To
Keep Kitsap GREEN
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Your continuing support throughout the year funds our environmental education and advocacy to
Keep Kitsap GREEN
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
