Cowling Creek Forest Preserve
Our Foundational Project - 8 years in the making.
Photo by Ursula Funari
Project Description
The Cowling Creek Forest Preserve protects vital salmon habitat. The Suquamish Tribe Cowling Creek hatchery played a critical role in restoring chum salmon runs to Kitsap County streams from 1977-2002, when it closed.
Much of this preserve was owned and donated by Virginia Cowling—an inspirational advocate for land protection and one of the Founders of Friends of Miller Bay.
Back in 1999 Virginia Cowling challenged the organization to purchase acreage, adjacent to the Suquamish tribal hatchery. This land was considered to be important for habitat, water quality and aquifer replenishment. Fundraising lasted 8 years and finally in 2007, FOMB raised the $273,000.00 needed to purchase the 18 acres. Those acres plus, various other parcels Virginia Cowling donated, or persuaded friends to donate, became the Cowling Creek Forest Preserve—named in her honor. This critical Preserve comprises 42 acres of protected land preserved forever!
The Suquamish Tribe owns the Cowling Creek Center and Hatchery, plus the 14 acres surrounding it. Great Peninsula Conservancy owns the remaining 28 acres of the preserve and manages the Forest Plan and Conservation Easement. Friends of Miller Bay are the stewards for this unique preserve that was foundational to both our organization’s history and purpose.
Benefits
The Cowling Creek watershed covers an area of 1.9 square miles and contains approximately 12 miles of streams, 5.5 miles of which are fish bearing. Through years of volunteer restoration efforts, the chum salmon run in Cowling Creek had been restored. Initially by keeping the hatchery going and eventually by building fish ladders in the culvert under Miller Bay road, allowing chum to spawn naturally in the creek. FOMB founding member, Paul Dorn, went to extraordinary efforts to accomplish this remarkable achievement.
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In 2016, it was exciting to see evidence of success. Large piles of salmon bones were up and down the creek. Bears were regularly feeding on the fish and then depositing the rich nutrients throughout the forest. Nature restored!
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The trails provide public access to a beautiful restoration project and the Forest is in an evolving state of restoration through various techniques.
Area Map
Status &
Current Activities
Our on-going stewardship provides valuable learning opporuntitie in forest management. Volunteers attend work parties throughout the year. In 2023/34, GPC partnered with Cornell University to study bird populations in the Preserve. Results will help GPC evaluate their Forest Restoration techniques. Safety and access were improved with recent parking lot improvements.
Partnerships & Acknowledgements
Friends of Miller Bay gratefully acknowledges our partners in this Project:
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Suquamish Tribe
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Great Peninsula Conservancy
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Virginia Cowling
For More Information
For more information or to volunteer contact the Stewardship & Restoration Program Director by email @ info@friendsofmillerbay.org