Trail Alert - Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park
Roadside brush thinning begins immediately at Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park. The estimated completion date is Friday, November 19. Signage will be posted in the areas of active brush thinning. Please keep yourself safe and respect the brush thinning operations.
Please see the map of the project with impacted roads being marked in red.
Update and Clarification About the Trees Removed at North Kitsap Heritage Park
The trees cut down in North Kitsap Heritage Park along the eastern park edge border a utility road that crosses into the park and then out again, providing access to the Public Works treatment facility. The County provided an easement over this road to the Arborwood developers to allow access to the treatment facility (via the utility road) so new utilities could be laid down for the housing development within the easement corridor. In order to install new utility lines, trees along the edge of the road needed to be cut - this action was legal and permitted by the County.
However, the cut trees were not intended to be removed from the park but, rather, left on-site for the Parks department to use. Unfortunately, there was a miscommunication, and the trees were removed from the park. Since this occurred a few days ago, the Parks department has been in contact with the developer and they will be returning the cut trees to the park. To avoid future mishaps, the County will be holding the developers accountable to an increased level of communication and cooperation for all activity that impacts North Kitsap Heritage Park.
This map of the park shows the utility road corridor (highlighted in yellow) indicating the only location within the park trees are permitted to be removed, as allowed in the easement. Photos of the service road were taken this morning after the tree cutting took place.
Trail Closure at Chico Salmon Park
The trails at Chico Salmon Park are temporarily closed until construction can be completed to ensure public safety. Trail construction is estimated to be completed by the end of October. Please respect trail barriers and signs.
Trail Closure at Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park
Starting March 22nd, Evergreen Mountain Bike Association (EMBA) – West Sound Chapter will be removing unsanctioned trails and constructing three sustainable, directional trails within the Ranger Corridor. For public safety, this trail corridor will be closed for the duration of the construction activity and signage will be posted to alert trail users. The tentative timeline for reopening is early May.
This trail improvement activity is part of a larger, collaborative project between EMBA, Kitsap County Parks, and Washington Trails Association (WTA). The goal of this project is to address public safety concerns while being mindful of the need for multi-use access. WTA is in the process of adding a western extension off of the EWOK trail, as part of the Ranger Corridor plan, which will be open to pedestrian and equestrian use. Mountain bike use on this trail extension off of EWOK will be limited to uphill travel only.
Silverdale Waterfront Park - Parking Lot Closure and Restroom Closure
The parking lot and restroom facilities at Silverdale Waterfront Park will be closed for the near future due to the Bayshore, Washington & Byron Improvement Project. Click here for more information on the Bayshore, Washington & Byron Improvement Project.
Trail Closure at South Kitsap Regional Park
A section of a back trail at South Kitsap Regional Park is temporarily closed until construction can be completed to ensure public safety. Please respect trail barriers and signs.
Trail Closure at Guillemot Cove
The beach access trail is closed until required permitting and construction of an additional section of the boardwalk is completed. Please respect trail barriers and signs.
Conservation Futures Grant Update
Early this year, the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners announced that the County would consider applications for land and/or conservation futures acquisition during the year through a competitive process and will distribute up to $300,000 of conservation futures tax revenue to eligible projects and organizations. Those entities include Cities, Metropolitan Park Districts, Metropolitan Municipal Corporations, Nonprofit Historic Preservation Corporations, and Nonprofit Nature Conservancy Corporations or Associations. Click here to view more information on the Conservation Futures Grant.
