As the Bremerton Visitor and Relocation Guide says so well, it’s “no wonder so many people want to work, live and play in our area,” with the “sparkling waters, majestic mountains, and tall evergreens that make it so breathtakingly beautiful.” Clearly, our environment is an economic asset worth protecting, and the Great Peninsula Conservancy provides tools that can help local communities achieve that goal.

With a commitment from the Conservancy to raise $500,000 toward the purchase, Kitsap County was recently able to offer a successful bid for some prime forestland right in the heart of the County. Just minutes from downtown Bremerton, this 623-acre parcel is an important wetland with Chico and Wildcat Creeks running through it. Hiking, birding, and mountain biking here will add another level of visitor attractions to revitalized Bremerton. The property is strategically located to provide links to the trails at Green and Gold Mountains and will offer recreational opportunities for residents and visitors alike. But, let’s not overlook some more subtle contributions.

Upwards of 35,000 salmon return to spawn in Chico Creek and its tributaries, which support chum, coho, steelhead and cutthroat trout. Eagles and osprey feed here. Deer, bear and other woodland animals thrive in the second-growth forest, and with the land intact, their habitat is secure.

Some ask if there’s really any need for large parcels like this 623-acre space to be maintained in its natural state. There clearly is, if we want to continue to observe these wild creatures the way we enjoy them most, on their own turf. The micro-climates in the interior of the wildlife corridor support different species than those that thrive at its edges. If native vegetation were to be cleared, continuous habitats would become divided into separate, small fragments, which would only support species with the most general habitat requirements. If the Chico Creek watershed were to become fragmented, deer and other species could be threatened. By keeping this habitat intact, their home is protected — and so are our gardens!

For communities like our own that are experiencing dramatic growth, forested open space and wetlands are of particular value. Trees help control erosion, clean the air of pollutants, and absorb carbon monoxide. Wetlands serve as wildlife habitat, absorb storm water, and reduce pollutant and sediment loads in watershed runoff. One mature tree next to a stream or lake can filter as much as 200 pounds of nitrate runoff a year. With adequate open space, nature provides this natural, no-cost, water filtration system. Without it, municipalities can face costly water treatment measures to protect drinking water supplies. Across the country communities are finding the need to strike a balance and plan for open space as they plan development patterns, and more than 1200 local land trusts are working to help protect the lands and watersheds in the communities they serve.

The Great Peninsula Conservancy, serving Kitsap, Pierce, and Mason Counties, was formed by the merger of four community land trusts: Kitsap and Indianola Land Trusts in Kitsap County, Peninsula Heritage Land Trust in Gig Harbor, and Hood Canal Land Trust in Belfair. Through the support of foundations and individual donors, the Conservancy and its predecessor land trusts have been responding to the needs of landowners and communities in this region for more than twenty years.

Some of the Conservancy’s work results from productive partnering with public entities to protect lands for community open spaces and parks, like Banner Forest in Port Orchard, Homestead Park in Gig Harbor, and the Chico Creek project in Kitsap County.

I must admit a soft spot for the Chico Creek property. Chico Creek is where I saw for the first time the drama of salmon on their journey back upriver. Seeing their drive, seeing them move undaunted through shallow waterways, sometimes nearly dry, I sensed more than ever the need for my species to take more care of theirs. It’s within our power to take away — or to protect— what more vulnerable species depend on.

The decisions we make today will create the future for ourselves, our children, and grandchildren. Whatever action we take on the land — to develop it, to restore it, or to protect it — must result in a healthy future for ourselves and the wildlife who share it.

Most of the Conservancy’s work is initiated by private landowners who want to plan for their property’s use and care. In addition to the natural benefits these private land protection agreements bring, the entire community reaps economic benefits as well. No public funds are used, and the lands stay in private ownership so are not removed from the tax rolls. With public funds for land acquisition limited, and the pressures of rapid growth being felt throughout the region, planning for the protection of open space is increasingly critical. There are a number of planning tools available that can be tailored specifically to meet the protection desires and financial needs of individual landowners.

The Conservancy office in Bremerton is staffed with experts who can help landowners understand their options and can be reached at 360-373-3500 or 866-373-3504.

(Editor’s Note: Laura Croft is a freelance writer and serves on the Board of Directors of the Great Peninsula Conservancy.).