We need your help!

NKTA is an all volunteer organization. We know that there are many of you trail users and trail lovers out there and this article is our call out to you to get involved. The busy light-filled months are upon us and we have various events that we need volunteers for. If you have been mulling the idea about and pushing it to the back burner: there is no time like the present to jump in. It is fun and you will meet other like-minded lovers of the out-of-doors. If you don't want to help build trails, we need volunteers to help at events, need people on an array of committees and are looking for some bookkeeping assistance. We'd also love to have your service club, office, church or sports team help on a trail project or event!

Events: NKTA's biggest fundraisers are events organized by others that we need to help provide volunteers for; it's fun to cheer on the athletes and the proceeds help the trails we all enjoy. PLEASE, Help out the morning of the May 11 Stottlemeyer Mountain Bike Race or Oct. 13 Poulsbo Marathon!

Trail work parties: We have found a wonderful family who is going to allow us to build a new trail across their private land; "Millie's trail" will link Big Valley to the Port Gamble Trails. We're planning two special work parties May 19 and June 8, please help us open this trail across the Dove Family Homestead in time for Millie's 97th birthday!

NKTA members lead regular trail work parties fifth Wednesdays, second Saturdays and every other fourth Saturday of the month. All are welcome to join us. Check out the NKTA web calendar for location and time.

Committees, bookkeeping or writing: NKTA's committee structure needs more manpower and help is especially needed on our fundraising, water trails and communications committees, but also on STO, membership, and trails committees. We would love to find someone who can help our treasurer and set us up on QuickBooks.

Upcoming events:

• Sat May 11 - Stottlemeyer 30/60 Mountain Bike Race; great fun and a great fundraiser for NKTA. Volunteers needed, 8am - 1pm & 1 - 6pm shifts.
• Sun May 19 - Millie's Trail Work Party; Help build a new trail from Big Valley to the Port Gamble trails. Volunteers needed 11am - 2pm & 2 - 5pm. Look for NKTA banner just south of 24772 Big Valley Road.
• Sat June 8 - Millie's Trail Work Party; Help build a new trail from Big Valley to the Port Gamble trails. Volunteers needed 9 -12 or 1- 4. Look for NKTA banner just south of 24772 Big Valley Road.
• Thu May 30, 5-7pm - IMBA public presentation; (International Mountain Biking Association) Better Living Through Trails, Poulsbo City Hall.
• Sat June 1, 9am - 4pm - IMBA Trail building seminar; Poulsbo City Hall/Port Gamble Trails, workshop full
• Sat June 1, 5pm - Celebration of Port Gamble trails; Slippery Pig Brewery, sponsored by Peninsula Subaru and a benefit for NKTA. Family friendly, music, local craft beers and great raffle prizes. (*More below)
• Sat June 1 - Kitsap Peninsula Water Trail Festival; Silverdale Waterfront Park. Demos, paddleboard lessons and optional paddle from Bremerton's Evergreen Park.
• Sun June 2, 9 a.m. - Mountain Bike Trail Ride; Port Gamble trails, open to all levels. Meet at Port Gamble Uplands trailhead, off highway 104 south of Port Gamble.
• Save the date: October 13 Poulsbo Marathon; Race registration is open and this is NKTA's largest fundraiser. If you're not running, please sign up to help!

Good News on the Kitsap Forest & Bay Project

Forterra has "exercised" the Option from OPG on the full 6,690 acres, so there is now another year (through 3/28/2014) to complete what land purchases are possible. Though we won't know a final outcome until the end of the Legislative session, at this point there is close to $3 million for Kitsap Forest & Bay Project acquisitions in the three different versions of the state budget. $2.25 million for the Port Gamble Shoreline, $392,000 for North Kitsap Heritage Park Expansion and varying amounts for the Divide property (between NK Heritage Park and Port Gamble-Suquamish road). The outcome for acquiring the Divide/Grovers Creek project (pictured above) isn't as secure. The House budget has the project receiving $1 million but the Senate proposed less overall funding for WWRP programs and currently has $297,000 in their budget for this project. But it is fair to say the Senate budget proposal for WWRP programs is in flux and we won't know the outcome until a budget is finalized.

We are fortunate that our Kitsap delegation members are all strong supporters of Kitsap Forest & Bay Project. Please take the time to thank Senator Christine Rolfes, Representative Drew Hansen and Representative Sherry Appleton.

New North Kitsap Heritage Park boardwalk & trail

Come visit our newest trail in North Kitsap Heritage Park. The boardwalk on the Boundary (blue) Trail reroute has been finished and is open. The six-foot wide 60 foot long span across a tributary of Grovers Creek is suitable for walkers, hikers and bikers. This new route at the north end of the Boundary Trail replaces the slippery section of trail down the clay hill and across the wide wet meadow. The old trail has been abandoned and will be restored with native plants.

From the entry kiosk at Miller Bay Rd. follow the Spine Line (yellow) trail 260 feet to signpost #2 and cross the boardwalk to the new trail. This new section of the trail climbs 0.2 mile to join the old upper Boundary trail at the top of the hill.

The Stewardship Group and North Kitsap Trails Association want to thank Aspect Consulting of Seattle and Bainbridge Island for their work on and contributions to the trail and boardwalk. The boardwalk was funded by grants for Puget Sound Energy, the Suquamish Tribe and Kingston Rotary.

*More
Check out the IMBA equipped Subaru along with a couple of Peninsula Subaru's finest vehicles. Family friendly, music, prizes & open to all. Prizes from REI, MSR, Thermarest, Classic Cycle, Bainbridge Island Cycle, Silverdale Cyclery, RAX and Beer from local craft breweries, Slippery Pig, Valholl Brewing, Sound Brewing, Hood Canal Brewing and Der Blokken Brewery.

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