Category Overview
Urban Wildlife Habitat projects fund close-to-home places to play and explore nature. As our urban areas are increasingly expanding and densifying, these grants protect important fish and wildlife habitat within five miles of densely populated areas, creating green refuges that help keep our ecosystems healthy and provide places to enjoy nature right in our backyards.
Project Highlights
The Bainbridge Island Land Trust proposes the Little Manzanita 4 Project to protect at least 34 ac. to complete a >160-ac. conserved habitat nexus extending from Manzanita Park in north-central Manzanita watershed to the Little Manzanita Bay estuary. Emphasis is on protection of streams, wetlands, and a large forest core area to benefit the full suite of Island terrestrial and aquatic species and provide public trails through forests. Benefited species include coho, cutthroat, chum, flying squirrels and pileated woodpeckers. The nearly 25-ac. Manzanita Ridge property is one of the five parcels we have identified as Undeveloped & Unprotected >20 acres in size remaining on Bainbridge Island and includes 361′ of N Fork Manzanita Creek plus 4.2 ac. of hydrologically-connected wetland. Parcel M is an adjacent 5-ac. area within the same forest core containing wetlands along 679′ of a Type F tributary to Manzanita Cr. The BG Property is 5 acres of estuary and nearshore with 1,149′ of shoreline and 2.8 ac of tidelands in Puget Sound ESU Chinook, Killer Whale, and Adult Rockfish Critical Habitat.Benefited habitats are top tier of concern in our 2024 public survey responses. The project also provides new recreational amenities in highest demand by respondents – natural area parks with narrow trails. The City of Bainbridge is also targeting this watershed in planning due to high potential ecological lift and support of Puget Sound Recovery.