Winter 2022 Update

Forest, Funding

No doubt you’ve been wondering how the campaign to save forests in Kitsap County is going.

First, the money: to date we have raised over $32,500 from donations small and large. Many heartfelt thanks to all who donated and spread the word!

We’ve been raising public awareness of Our Forest Fund and our mission to save as many trees as possible in the Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park (PGFHP). We’ve done this through this website, and our booths at the Poulsbo and Kingston Farmers’ Markets, the West Fest Mountain Bike fair and the Poulsbo Half Marathon.

Our Forest Fund participated in the 2021 Kitsap Great Give, and we are gearing up for the next one just around the corner on April 19, 2022.

basket of wild mushrooms
A sampling of the wild mushrooms found in the PGFHP during the Mushrooming Workshop.

A Mushrooming Workshop fundraiser, which was educational, delicious and fun, brought in more contributions. Drop us an email if you’d like to be on the list for the next one!

We were awarded generous grants by both the Port Gamble S’klallam Tribe and the Suquamish Tribe.

Our Forest Fund made presentations to S’Klallam Council, West Sound Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, North Kitsap Trails Association, the Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park Stewardship Committee, and Kitsap Environmental Coalition.

We did a field trip with West Sound Academy middleschoolers exploring different kinds of forest and showing them the difference between clearcutting and variable thinning in the PGFHP. If you are a teacher and would like to do such a fieldtrip with your class, please contact us!

We have met up several times with Kitsap County Commissioner Rob Gelder, as well as with Senator Christine Rolfes.

For the rest of 2022, we will continue to raise awareness of our project and funds through individual donations through our website.  We will also be ramping up our efforts to raise money through grants and corporate funding.

Events planned for 2022 include:

  • We are scheduled to speak to the
    • Suquamish Community Advisory Council
    • Kingston Community Advisory Council
    • The Greenways at Buck Lake/Hansville group

Would you like us to make a presentation to your group? Please drop us an email!

You will see our booth at the Poulsbo Farmers Market at least once a month this summer, and at various park and mountain bike events throughout the year.

Our Forest Fund is sponsoring a plant salvage operation on March 25 where forest is going to be cleared for the expanded trailhead parking lot at Stottlemeyer. Anti-Scotchbroom brigades and tree planing events are also planned. Stay tuned for details.

Meanwhile, please spread the word about Our Forest Fund and our project to raise funds to save trees in the Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park. Time is of the essence!