Photo by Leo Sooter
Goals that Guide Our Work
Stewardship & Restoration
Promote “active” environmental stewardship within our community, recognizing the role each of us can play in protecting our watershed. Improve habitat quality through invasive species removal, and re-introduction of native plants and marine species.
Work Parties
Stewardship requires ongoing, routine maintenance of land preserves. Work may include removing invasive species—Cutting ivy or digging up holly, clearing paths for access, and planting native trees and plants. It’s dirty work. We schedule short blocks of time for volunteer groups to work on specific tasks. Click to view our upcoming work parties, sign up and sign waivers. Thank you!
Miller Bay Preserve
FOMB partnered with Great Peninsula Conservancy (GPC) to purchase this rare 13 acre parcel of undeveloped, critical habitat in the tidewater area of Grover’s Creek. Our Stewardship began with major forest restoration, and continues with invasive species removal. We also work to keep a safe access to maintain this pristine woodland and waterfront property. We schedule routine, year-round work parties for this special Preserve.
Cowling Creek Forest Preserve
The recent additions of 2 new bridges over the creek and added steps in steep areas, within the preserve, have greatly improved access and safety on the Cowling Creek Forest Preserve trails. Our work includes significant trail maintenance throughout the year.
Olympia Oyster Restoration
FOMB partnered with Puget Sound Restoration Fund to initiate restoring native Olympia oysters to Miller Bay. The small Olympia oysters make a big impact on the ecological functioning of a larger ecosystem. They filter and clean the water, provide habitat for other marine life, absorb carbon, and produce micro-organisms that are critical for many invertebrates. Annual evaluations have proven oysters will spawn in our bay!
UPDATE: We are currently in the permit process phase before proceeding to planting native Olympia Oysters in Miller Bay. Oysters help create a biogenic habitat which provides habitat for other organisms in a healthy environment. They filter and clean the water. Tracking environmental effects on the smallest marine species is a way of understanding issues facing entire ecosystems. Most recently, we planted 2 monitoring stations in Miller Bay at Clam Island and Grover’s Creek.
Cowling Creek Parking
The entrance and parking area for Cowling Creek Forest Preserve (CCFP) has recently been significantly improved. Located just south of the tribal owned properties on Miller Bay Road, this entrance is the major access point for the CCFP trails. New grading and sanding and a gravel surface have hugely improved the parking lot. Installation of large stump barriers, to prevent vehicle access to the trails adds a new level of safety and limits trail access for hikers only. Ambitious volunteers, Dick D’Archangel and Paul Dorn, took on this improvement project and FOMB greatly appreciates their work!