Inspiring Kids Preserve

Inspiring Kids Preserve is a 113-acre property owned, protected, and managed by Capitol Land Trust on the eastern shore of Henderson Inlet in Thurston County, Washington. While this future ambassador preserve is not yet open to the public, improvements are currently underway to prepare it for welcoming visitors of all ages.

Once officially open, visitors will see what makes this place so special: In addition to providing abundant habitat for wildlife, Inspiring Kids Preserve is home to nearly every native species of tree in western Washington. And it also protects a mile of Puget Sound shoreline!

We’re creating Inspiring Kids Preserve to give the community a local preserve that inspires the kid in all of us to connect with nature. It will be a place rich in conservation education opportunities while also serving as a venue for outdoor Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) learning, as well as for nature play and rejuvenation.

We plan to supplement the natural features of the land with walking trails, benches, nature play spaces, and more so that our community can visit and find refuge from the stresses of daily life and feel the benefits of being outdoors. Simply put, spending time in nature is good for us! We can help visitors foster their sense of place by creating this nature preserve in a way that is safe, fun, and inspiring to all.

Visitors will be encouraged to stop, look, and listen and be present in the moment. After spending time here, guests will leave feeling refreshed with a sense of connection to — and respect for — natural landscapes.

By inviting people to experience our conserved lands, we’re helping to ensure that conservation remains a core value in our community.

Connecting to the Land Campaign

Happening Now at Inspiring Kids Preserve! The Connecting to the Land Campaign is about creating welcoming, accessible places where people can experience nature, learn from it, and build lasting relationships with the lands and waters that sustain our region for years to come. Learn more here.

Help the vision come to life. Donate today at https://capitollandtrust.org/connecting/give

Check out this inside look at Inspiring Kids Preserve with Communications Manager, Mary Kniestedt.

A special thank you to our project partners that helped us protect this special place:

• ADESA
• Becky & Jeff Sobel
• Harmony Glover
• Puget Sound Partnership
• Squaxin Island Tribe
• Taylor Shellfish Farms
• Thurston County
• The Conservation Fund
• The Trust for Public Land
• Washington State Department of Ecology
• Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office
• US Fish & Wildlife Service