Goals that Guide Our Work
Collaboration & Partnerships
Foster working relationships and support building networks between local environmental groups, tribal communities, and county and state agencies for the preservation and stewardship of natural habitats throughout the greater Kitsap Peninsula community.
Photo by Leo Sooter
We work with GPC on land acquisitions. An accredited land trust, GPC assists with fundraising, administers the purchase and maintains ownership, providing conservation protection in perpetuity. FOMB continues to provide ongoing stewardship of the natural habitats we work so hard to save.
​
The partnership between FOMB & GPC pays off! Our work has resulted in the Cowling Creek Forest Preserve, the Miller Bay Preserve and most recently the Forest Above the Bay Preserve. Of course, none of this work would be possible without the conservation-minded, nature-respecting, wonderful community of folks who give so generously to protect and preserve this special place we feel privileged to call home.
A natural connection with our goals of preservation and education, we have had a longtime partnership with the Kitsap Audubon Society. We follow a protocol designed by the Audubon Society to conduct seasonal bird counts on Miller Bay. These counts are led by a Kitsap Audubon “expert” representative. In cooperation, we provide access and good data for the Audubon Society and FOMB uses this collected information to track returning bird populations-- an indicator of our progress toward improving and maintaining a healthy Bay!
FOMB worked with Puget Sound Restoration Fund to conduct a study prior to embarking on our Olympic Oyster Restoration project. PSRF designs, tests and spearheads “in-water” projects to restore living marine habitat and species. Since FOMB is all about preserving habitats in the Miller Bay watershed, PSRF is an ideal partner for restoring habitat in Miller Bay!
Occasionally, our projects do not meet GPC criteria. In these cases, we are grateful that Kitsap County Parks accepts ownership of these parcels. They work with us to maintain the land. All preserves that FOMB transfers to County ownership are protected by Conservation Easements created and managed by GPC. Forest Above the Bay is a good example of a small but valuable Preserve.