ecosystems
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Everything is Interconnected
Recently my house has been visited by a couple of mice. After my cats were done chasing them to exhaustion, rendering them easy for slow humans to catch, we caught them and returned them to the outdoors.
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A Look Back and Ahead
From the very beginning – 1915 when the original 74 acres was purchased with the help of Edward Paschall of Hidden Ranch – to today where Hidden Valley is an important part of the nearly 500-acre Rhododendron Preserve with a diverse ecosystem, healthy salmon runs and a popular walking trail, the Preserve has always been…
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Visitor Uptick, Changes at the Preserve
A recent social media post in PNW Bucket List that was widely shared and appeared on many other popular pages has led to a flood of visitors at the Preserve. And while we know we’re a “hidden gem” to many, we had no idea how many visitors would find us from that initial post.
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Cool Water Protects Salmon
Have you noticed how much more comfortable the temperature is when you are among trees? Trees are perhaps the most effective means of combating climate change.
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Leave it to Leaves
Walking through the forest, we are surrounded by leaves. There are leaves on trees, leaves on bushes, plant leaves, and even leaves littering the ground. Leaves are amazing; there are many critically important roles that they play in ecosystem health.
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Planting to Adapt to Our Changing Climate
These variations are location-specific adaptations. An adaptation is a physical or behavioral adjustment to the plant or animal that affects the way it responds to its environment. The specific colors in a coyote’s pelt would be a physical adaptation, making it easier for the coyote to hide in the area where it lives. Learning to…
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Sharing Knowledge to Inspire Conservation, Build Connection
On Feb. 11th, 2023, I was privileged to take a wonderful group of people on a tour of our Rhododendron Preserve. The group was made up of people training to become Stream Stewards. Stream Stewards are residents of Kitsap County that are turning environmental knowledge into action.