Inspiring Kids Preserve

Inspiring Kids Preserve is a 108-acre property owned, protected, and managed by Capitol Land Trust on the eastern shore of Henderson Inlet in Thurston County, Washington. The preserve is home to nearly every native species of tree in western Washington and protects a mile of Puget Sound shoreline!

The Inspiring Kids Preserve project was motivated by a need to have a local preserve focused on the kid-experience in nature.

Our goal is that Inspiring Kids Preserve becomes a go-to place for outdoor STEAM learning, nature play, and rejuvenation.

Our vision is 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.

Before you love something, you have to get to know it. What better way to get to know the local environment than spending time in it? 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 and respect for natural landscapes.

By inviting people to experience our conserved lands, conservation will remain a core value in our community.

Want to help connect kids to nature? Volunteer with us!

Check out this inside look at Inspiring Kids Preserve with Community Engagement Manager, Mary Birchem.

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