Kitsap County News

The Hansville Community and Hansville Greenway Association

In the summer of 2020, neighbors Darcy Herrett, Jane Jacobs, and Ryan Ross noticed that 100 acres next to The Hansville Greenway were slated for development. Concerned, they launched an effort to preserve the land.

Their idea snowballed into a partnership between community volunteers, Hansville Greenway Association, and Great Peninsula Conservancy (GPC). The partnership quickly launched a fundraising campaign to raise the $2.15 million needed to purchase the land. 284 generous donors helped them reach their goal in only two months!

In January 2022, GPC purchased the property, ensuring permanent preservation of the wildlife habitat, open space, and community trail system. The purchase will allow restoration of the land, connect neighborhoods, expand hiking opportunities, and help protect the land for future generations. 

A core group of Hansville community volunteers oversaw the project and fundraising efforts: Darcy Herrett, Michael Szerlog, BryAnn Bingham, Ryan Ross, and Jane Jacobs. They worked closely with Nate Daniel and Katherine Tacke with GPC and numerous community members, including Julia Atwood, Manya O’Shea, and Howie O’Brien.

Lin and Doug Murray

Lin and Doug Murray of Poulsbo work humbly to keep Kitsap litter free. Since 2014, they head out each morning with trash grabbers in hand. This couple has become a staple in the Poulsbo community, and many neighbors notice and appreciate their longstanding and consistent efforts. With no expectation for reward, Doug and Lin work to make Poulsbo a cleaner and more beautiful place to live and visit.

Amy Lawrence

Professor Amy Lawrence serves as chairperson for Chico Salmon Park and Erlands Point Preserve, where she leads efforts to restore ecosystems through invasive species removal, native planting, streambank stabilization, and water quality monitoring. She organized and led 30 work parties in 2021!

As a Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies at Olympic College (OC), Amy encourages her students to participate in environmental efforts through volunteerism, field activities, scientific research, and park maintenance. Her students have planted trees to sequester carbon in an experimental grove, restored habitat damaged by construction, and beautified areas for public use.

But that's not all! During the annual Kitsap Salmon Tours, Amy serves as a lead Salmon Docent to help over 600 visitors view and learn about salmon. As chair of the OC Sustainability Advisory Council, she supports sustainability programs at the college. On the board of the Keta Legacy Foundation, she oversees a student intern program that gathers forest and stream data to support the management of the Rhododendron Preserve in Central Kitsap. She also donates her time and expertise to the Kitsap County Parks Advisory Board and Central Kitsap Community Council.

Kitsap Bank

Kitsap Bank is committed to sustainability and hosts multiple environmental activities, including their annual "Shred to Fed" event that collects sensitive records for secure destruction and proper disposal. This event has raised over $60,000 for local food banks!

Kitsap Bank also hosts an annual Earth Day beautification project. The first project in 2017 at Island Lake Park in Poulsbo brought together over 200 employees and their families to tend to the park. In 2018, they focused on a trail cleanup at Fish Park in Poulsbo, and in 2019 they assisted with the Spring Cleanup Program in the City of Port Orchard.

Kitsap Bank is looking forward to resuming their annual Earth Day project this year on April 30 at the Erlands Point Preserve, where they will be removing invasive plant species and restoring habitat.

Wendy Vanover

Adopt-a-Spot Program volunteer Wendy Vanover has been removing litter from South Kitsap since 2019.

To date, she has volunteered 281 hours, collected 285 bags of litter, and covered 367 miles of roadway. This is equivalent to two tons of trash, seven full-time work weeks, and the distance from Kitsap to Portland, OR and back!

Featured Artist, Amy Jo Divis

Each Earth Day Award recipient will receive a one-of-a-kind award to recognize their environmental achievements. This year's award was designed and created by Amy Jo Divis, a local artist, illustrator, and educator. Amy's illustration features the Hood Canal and represents the beautiful environment our community works to protect.