April is Earth Month on Bainbridge Island, and we’re proud to partner with Sustainable Bainbridge, Bainbridge Metro Parks and other great
See the full list of activities here, or find great ways to celebrate Earth Month below:
Earth care book displays, April 1-30, at the Bainbridge Public Library and Eagle Harbor Books – Learn more about individual and systemic actions that are restorative to a healthy planet by perusing and perhaps borrowing or buying books from the displays at the library and bookstore.
Prevent Food Waste display, April 1-15, Bainbridge Public Library – Food tossed in the trash is one of the biggest causes of methane emissions from landfills. Check out the lobby display case created by Kitsap Solid Waste for tips on making food last and using it up before it goes bad.
Attract Predatory Insects to Protect Your Garden, Tuesday, April 2, 6:30-8 pm on Zoom – Meet the many insects that protect your garden from pests. Learn to build their populations so they’re ready to go to work when pests arrive. Attend this Veg Club Zoom session at https://krl.zoom.us/j/
First Wednesday Work Party, Wednesday, April 3, 9–11am, at Springbrook Creek Preserve – Join the Land Trust for a morning of removing invasive Scotch broom at the soon-to-be open Springbrook Creek Preserve! Please register online.
Something to Talk about: Earth Month on Bainbridge, Wednesday, April 3, 1:30-2:00pm via Zoom – Reed Price at the BI Senior Community Center hosts this twice-a-week podcast. Today we focus on our community’s Earth Month activities. Come and learn all about them at this Zoom link.
Mending Meet-up, Saturday, April 6, 5-7pm, Esther’s Fabrics – Join Allison every other Saturday for a mending help night. Using techniques inspired by one of our favorite books, Visible Mending, Allison will help get you started on your way to being a mending maven. Different handstitching or sewing machines techniques will be taught. You can do it her way to make your mends fully visible or use her techniques to make mends that are a little less seen. Register here.
First Friday Art Walk, Friday, April 5, 6-8pm – Stop in at the Windermere Realty Office, 249 Winslow Way, to see a display of repurposed and upcycled clothing designs and other artwork. Live models on Friday, and static displays the rest of the month.
Afternoon on the Trails, Sunday, April 7, 1 pm – 5 pm, at IslandWood Campus – IslandWood’s trail systems will be open for a family-friendly, self-guided exploration. Hike leisurely down the Spine Trail and traverse the ravine on a suspension bridge. We’ll have maps for you so you can find your way around and will be happy to suggest a route that is suitable for your family and abilities. If you’ve come before, we welcome you back again. There is always something new to see every season! Get your tickets here!
Red Pine Park Work Party, Tuesday, April 9, 10am-noon, at Red Pine Park – Work with the Park District’s horticulture staff and the Bainbridge Island Parks & Trails Foundation to maintain garden beds, a historic fruit orchard, edible perennials, and other historic plantings in this former homestead in the heart of downtown. Please RSVP here.
Breakfast with the Birds, Friday, April 12, 7 am – 9 am, at IslandWood Campus – Join us for a fresh selection of bagels, spreads, coffee, tea & juice, lox, vegetarian proteins, and breakfast wraps to fuel us for the morning ahead on the trails. Bellies full, and binoculars in hand, we’ll hit the trails intently looking and listening for as many species as we can identify. IslandWood’s 250-acre property contains several unique ecosystems including a freshwater pond, cattail marsh, sphagnum bog, a ravine, and conifer forests that boast several species of woodpeckers! This event is well suited for people 10+. Bring your own binoculars (and we will also have some to share as well). Get your tickets here. Make sure to double check which of the three dates you want to attend.
Conservation Work Party, Saturday, April 13, 10am-noon, at Battle Point Park – Join the Park District and our partners this Earth Month caring for the trees of Battle Point Park. Volunteers will meet at the Duck Pond to spread mulch for tree and soil health and pull invasive weeds like ivy and Scotch broom. Well suited for children ages six and up who are comfortable using some tools and walking off trail on uneven surfaces. Please RSVP here.
Geology Rocks, Sunday, April 14, 2 pm – 3:30 pm, at IslandWood – John Cornish is a mineral and fossil educator who passionately shares his love of the Earth Sciences through his energetic, family-friendly, Geology ROCKS! program. Come join John and be prepared to smile, laugh, and be fascinated as we learn more about the natural treasures awaiting discovery here in the Pacific Northwest. This educational presentation is truly for all-ages. John’s displays of minerals, gems and fossils are as jaw-dropping as his enthusiasm for the science of discovery. Get your tickets here.
Forest Restoration Work Party, Sunday, April 14, 1-3pm, at Strawberry Plant Park – Join Weed Warriors to remove invasive weeds and spread mulch at 240 Weaver Rd. NW on Eagle Harbor. Bring shovels, gloves, hand tools, and a wheelbarrow if you can, but we have extras. It’s Earth Month and Native Plant Appreciation month. Contact Jeannette Franks if you have questions.
And It Has Pockets: Sunday, April 14, 3-4:30pm, at BARN – ReFashion Bainbridge asks, What do pockets have to do with sustainability? Well, most clothes are thrown out after just a few wearings. Wouldn’t you keep clothing longer if it were more useful and practical? Don’t you get frustrated when your pants don’t even have a place for your keys? Diane Johnston, a clothing historian and speaker sponsored by Humanities Washington, will be telling us about the fascinating history of pockets in women’s clothing. Sign up here.
Moritani Preserve Work Party, Thursday, April 18, 10am-noon, at Moritani Preserve – Join the Park District’s Natural Resources team and the Bainbridge Island Parks & Trails Foundation in caring for the woods and meadows of Moritani Preserve by managing invasive species, maintaining garden beds, and planting natives when the weather is right. Please RSVP here.
Breakfast with the Birds, Friday, April 19, 7 am – 9 am, at IslandWood Campus – Join us for a fresh selection of bagels, spreads, coffee, tea & juice, lox, vegetarian proteins, and breakfast wraps to fuel us for the morning ahead on the trails. Bellies full, and binoculars in hand, we’ll hit the trails intently looking and listening for as many species as we can identify. IslandWood’s 250-acre property contains several unique ecosystems including a freshwater pond, cattail marsh, sphagnum bog, a ravine, and conifer forests that boast several species of woodpeckers! This event is well suited for people 10+. Bring your own binoculars (and we will also have some to share as well). Get your tickets here. Make sure to double check which of the three dates you want to attend.
Trails Work Party, Saturday, April 20, 10am-noon, at Battle Point Park – Join the Park District and our partners this Earth Month improving the trails at Battle Point Park. Projects could include spreading chips on trail surfacing, improving drainage, or pruning back the spring flush. These work parties are well suited for children ages eight and up who are comfortable using some tools and walking a mile or so throughout the two-hour work party. Please RSVP here.
Mending Meet-up, Saturday, April 20, 5-7pm, Esther’s Fabrics – Join Allison every other Saturday for a mending help night. Using techniques inspired by one of our favorite books, Visible Mending, Allison will help get you started on your way to being a mending maven. Different handstitching or sewing machines techniques will be taught. You can do it her way to make your mends fully visible or use her techniques to make mends that are a little less seen. Register here.
Free Invasive Weed Disposal, Sunday, April 21, 10am-4pm, at the Bainbridge Disposal Transfer Station – Land Trust is hosting its annual Free Invasive Weed Disposal days the last two Sundays in April! Bring your invasive weeds to the Transfer Station and we’ll cover the cost of disposal. Please do not mix in non-invasive yard waste. To learn more about which plants are accepted, and to register to volunteer, go here.
Public Site Tour, Sunday, April 21, 1 pm – 4 pm, at IslandWood – A volunteer docent will lead this free three-hour walk through our ecologically diverse campus, including a cattail marsh, pond, forest, and ravine, as well as field structures such as a suspension bridge and tree house. In addition to natural history, you will learn about our educational programs and the sustainable design of our buildings. We recommend wearing comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing. This tour is for adults and teens 15+. Get your tickets here.
Superpowers of Our Parks and Trails, Thursday, April 25, 7-9pm, at Bainbridge High School Theater – Join Bainbridge Island Parks & Trails Foundation and Bainbridge Youth Services as Dr. Howard Frumkin (UW, Trust for Public Land) presents the latest research on human health, parks, and trails, and what the compelling link between parks & wellness can mean for your family’s lifestyle. Learn more and consider what this means for lifestyle choices, broader policies and explore ideas to integrate time for parks and trails into our busy lives. Register here.
Breakfast with the Birds, Friday, April 26, 7 am – 9 am, at IslandWood Campus – Join us for a fresh selection of bagels, spreads, coffee, tea & juice, lox, vegetarian proteins, and breakfast wraps to fuel us for the morning ahead on the trails. Bellies full, and binoculars in hand, we’ll hit the trails intently looking and listening for as many species as we can identify. IslandWood’s 250-acre property contains several unique ecosystems including a freshwater pond, cattail marsh, sphagnum bog, a ravine, and conifer forests that boast several species of woodpeckers! This event is well suited for people 10+. Bring your own binoculars (and we will also have some to share as well). Get your tickets here. Make sure to double check which of the three dates you want to attend.
City Nature Challenge, April 26-29 – IslandWood and the Bainbridge Island Land Trust are leading Kitsap County in participating in the 2024 City Nature Challenge, a nature observation event using the iNaturalist app. It takes place in two parts: April 26 – 29: Observe — take and upload pictures of wild plants and animals; April 30 – May 5: Upload the observations and identify them. Use iNaturalist to make and share observations of wild plants, animals and fungi anywhere in Kitsap County. Learn more here.
Earth Expo: Kid-friendly booths and volunteer projects, Saturday, April 27, 10am-2pm, at Battle Point Park – Join the Park District and partners at our annual Earth Day Expo. There will be live music, food, and community booths with kid-focused, earth-friendly activities. Volunteer projects will be available throughout the whole event — work as long as you like and then enjoy the rest of the festivities! Volunteers will spread mulch for tree and soil health. Well-suited for children ages six and up who are comfortable using some tools and walking off trail on uneven surfaces. Please RSVP here.
Styrofoam Recycling Collection, Saturday, April 27, 10am-3pm, at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds – This is the only Styro recycling event for the year being hosted by Kitsap Solid Waste. Go here to see what is accepted and where specifically to enter the fairgrounds.
Shred Event, Saturday, April 27, 10am-1pm, Windermere Bainbridge – Shred event paper will be recycled.
Free Invasive Weed Disposal, Sunday, April 28, 10am-4pm, at the Bainbridge Disposal Transfer Station – Land Trust is hosting its annual Free Invasive Weed Disposal days the last two Sundays in April! Bring your invasive weeds to the Transfer Station and we’ll cover the cost of disposal. Please do not mix in non-invasive yard waste. To learn more about which plants are accepted, and to register to volunteer, go here.
Sock Darning Workshop, Tuesday, April 30, 1-2:30pm, at La Mercerie – ReFashion Bainbridge invites you to join experienced knitter Ann Cook to celebrate Earth Month by extending the life of your clothing. Learn simple techniques and tools to fix your socks and other knits to make them last longer. (Note: Darns are generally visible.) No knitting experience is necessary. Feel free to bring your holey socks, or any knit with a “hole” that needs to be filled (rather than a tear that you would just sew together). Register here. If you have questions, please contact Ann. La Mercerie is located at 118 Madrone Lane, where Churchmouse formerly was.
Gardening for Birds and Pollinators, Saturday, May 25, 2–4pm, Prue’s House – The Bainbridge Island Land Trust is hosting native plant landscape designer Anna Thurston for a demonstration and workshop on critical landscape activities for the benefit of birds and pollinators. Please register online.