Protect, Preserve and Appreciate Natural Wonders - Workshops

Learn how to protect, preserve, and appreciate Gig Harbor and the Key Peninsula’s natural wonders through free classes offered this spring

(Gig Harbor and Key Peninsula, WA) Class participants will explore the environment and learn about the connection between our behavior and local water issues. Classes include in class and out in the field experiences to learn about stewardship of our natural resources and properties. Classes begin on March 4.

Classes include:

Shoreline Living- March 4 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at the Nichols Community Center

Native Plants- March 19 from 5:30pm to 8:30pm at the Gig Harbor Civic Center

Care and Feeding of Septic Systems- March 25 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at the Key Peninsula Fire Station.

Attendees can attend one or all of these classes. Local opportunities to volunteer will also be presented by speakers at each talk.

During training, class participants will discover how their everyday actions impact water quality while they learn about a range of topics including natural yard care, native plants, shoreline living, maintenance and care of septic systems, and beach etiquette. They will also learn about sea creatures such as clams, crabs, salmon, seaweed, and invertebrates. Some training sessions will include a fun and informative outdoor field trip.

After attending one or all of the workshops, participants who wish can become involved by attending additional free spring and summer classes, or by volunteering through Harbor WildWatch. Opportunities include future classes like Washington SeaGrant’s Bivalves for Clean Water and the State of the Oyster Study, and Harbor WildWatch’s “Get Your Feet Wet” and “Pier into the Night” programs. Other exciting opportunities include helping with interactive touch tanks, interpretive beach walks, and night-time sea-life exploration.

For more information or to register for classes, please contact Renee Johnson at kgicourses@gmail.com or (360) 337-7157.

These free classes are funded by the Department of Ecology, sponsored by Pierce County Shellfish Partners, and brought to you by Harbor WildWatch, the Pierce Conservation District, and the Kitsap County WSU Extension.

Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination.  Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local Extension office.

Contact: Peg Tillery or Renee Johnson

Washington State University Kitsap County Extension

Phone (360) 337- 7157

ptillery@kitsap.wa.us

kgicourses@gmail.com

KGI Meeting: Lu Winsor Grant Reports, Tues, Dec 20th, 4-6 pm

Don't miss this fun gathering tomorrow evening at the Peninsula Light Company office, 13315 Goodnough Drive N. W., Purdy, WA. Hearing about the great projects accomplished, thanks to funding provided by the Lu Winsor Small Grants Program, is always uplifting.
See you there!

Come One, Come All December 20th

Key Peninsula, Gig Harbor and Islands Watershed Council (KGI) has a wonderful tradition. Each year our December meeting is dedicated to project presentations by recipients of our Lu Winsor Grants.

KGI's Lu Winsor Small Grants Program, named in memory of a committed environmental land steward and founding KGI member, provides competitive grants of up to $2,000.00 for projects making an environmental difference in the watershed. Worm bins to stream restorations, Seastars to enviro-camps and so much more; these grants have provided a way for those with interest, focus and creativity to get things done.

If spending a couple of hours hearing about some completed projects that will make you feel good about successes in the watershed sounds appealing, do come and join us. Questions of the presenters are always welcome.

We are proud of the Lu Winsor Small Grant Program and the successes that have resulted because of it. Come enjoy holiday refreshments and learn a bit about what can and is being done to make the KGI Watershed and its people healthy, informed and ready to be the next generation of environmental stewards. Lu would love that.

Join Us

December 20th, 4:00-6:00 PM

at the Peninsula Light Company Office

Purdy, WA

Storm Drain Marking Program

Did you know that the water that flows down the street and into the storm drain empties directly into local waterways, including Puget Sound, without treatment? Your group can help improve water quality in the Key Peninsula-Gig Harbor-Islands Watershed by participating in the storm drain marker program. The markers include the message "Only Rain Down the Drain" to remind people that what goes down the storm drain can result in pollution of our waterways.

This project is appropriate for individuals and groups with participants age six and older. The kit includes markers, adhesive, and instructions to install markers. Kits will be issued while supplies last. If this sounds like the project for your organization, contact Tiffany O'Dell with Pierce County Surface Water Management at (253) 798-2468.

Donkey Creek Chum Festival

"It takes a fish to raise a village." On Saturday, October 8, 2011, from 10am-5pm at the Harbor History Museum, we will be celebrating the role of salmon in Gig Harbor's past and present. Come watch kayak racing, eat a chum burger, paint a fish, and find out the latest on the City of Gig Harbor's Donkey Creek day-lighting project. There is no fair quite like this one.

DON'T MISS THE FUN

JOIN US
OCTOBER 8TH!

Lu Winsor Grants for Local Environmental Projects

Grant funds are available for organizations, schools, and individuals to work collaboratively with the Key Peninsula-Gig Harbor-Islands (KGI) Watershed Council on drainage, water quality, and/or habitat issues within our watershed. Such projects may include watershed education, enhancement and restoration activities, and/or purchase of equipment and supplies. The maximum grant amount is $2,000.00 per project, but you are encouraged to apply for less if your project requires a much smaller amount. These grants are funded by Pierce County Public Works and Utilities, Surface Water Management Division and Peninsula Light Company's Green Choice Program.

Grant materials are available under the Current Events/Announcements section on the KGI Watershed Council website: www.piercecountywa.org/KGI

Grant applications are due October 14th, 2010, 4:00 PM.

Car Wash Kits Available

One of the more popular fundraising activities in Pierce County is the Car Wash. This has proven to be a fun, easy, and effective way for youth-oriented groups to support their programs. Unfortunately, there is a down side; when a car is washed on paved surfaces, the soap, automotive fluids, oil and roadway dirt goes into nearby storm drains. Water in storm drains flows directly into lakes, wetlands, streams and Puget Sound with little or no treatment.

However, Pierce County Surface Water Management has a solution that allows your group to raise money and protect Puget Sound at the same time; just borrow a free Fish-Friendly Car Wash Kit. The Fish-Friendly Car Wash Kit is easy to use and helps keep toxic car wash runoff from entering our waters. Each kit comes with a catch basin insert, submersible pump, garden hose, extension cord, instructions, and a sign identifying the car wash as fish-friendly. You can borrow a kit free of charge for your event by contacting Pierce County Surface Water Management at 253-798-2725. If you host more than five car washes a year, you may even apply to keep a kit.