Photo: Loran DroegeCapitol Land Trust is raising money to help support its new “Connecting to the Land Campaign.”
The campaign, which was launched in May, aims to make local land preserves more welcoming and accessible to visitors so they can experience and learn from nature, and build lasting relationships with the land. Thus far, the campaign has raised around $4.2 million.
Capitol Land Trust identified the Inspiring Kids Preserve in Olympia and the Bayshore Preserve in Shelton as ambassador preserves to bring its vision to life.
“We need nature as much as nature needs us. Being able to provide the ability to provide for people to experience this sort of a place and to me just what it brings to our physical and mental health well-being is unparalleled,” said Capitol Land Trust Board of Directors Member Andrea Imler.
Inspiring Kids Preserve
The Inspiring Kids Preserve is a 113-acre property located on the eastern shore of Henderson Inlet in Olympia. This preservation is home to nearly every native species of tree in Western Washington and protects a mile of the Puget Sound shoreline.
The preserve is also home to a wide variety of birds and other wildlife. Capitol Land Trust hopes the preserve will create a unique outdoor educational opportunity for students.
The inspiration for the project was motivated by the need to have a local preserve focused on the youth experience in nature.
“There’s sort of an intellectual piece of it, of science learning, ecological learning but just as important as the emotional learning of having fun and feeling like you’re connected to something very important. That’s the kind of magic of places like this,” said Capitol Land Trust Volunteer Jean MacGregor.
Work is already underway at the preserve. Once construction is finished by 2027, visitors can expect to see:
- Accessible and improved trail system
- Wayfinding signs that help people understand the land’s ecology, history, and ongoing restoration
- Viewpoints and bird blinds to allow people to explore while protecting sensitive habitats
- Outdoor classrooms and an open air gathering pavillion
Bayshore Preserve
Bayshore Preserve is a 78-acre peninsula preserve located on the shores of Oakland Bay. The preserve was once home to a large village of the extended family groups of the Squaxin Island Tribe.
Bayshore Preserve was reopened to the public in November 2025 after improvements were made to make it more visitor friendly.
The updated preserve now consists of the following:
- A redesigned entrance and parking area
- Benches around the entrance and down to the creek
- A large entrance sign to make the preserve easier to find
- Replanting of native plants
- An outdoor classroom along Johns Creek
- A gentle 5 percent grade path
Additional improvements are planned down the line at the preserve.
Capitol Land Trust is hosting guided walks on their ambassador preserves throughout July to give the public an inside look at the long term plans for these preserves. Click here to find out more information.
Click here to donate to the Connecting to the Land Campaign.