What We Do

Principle areas of volunteer activity taking place on a regular basis throughout the year are:

- STEWARDSHIP activities in the Island County Parks/Preserves, State Parks on Camano Island and the Camano Center
- EDUCATIONAL projects focused on the natural environment through publications, displays, and special programs for youth and adults in the community and for visitors. Participation with the National Backyard Wildlife Habitat. (Camano Island has received national recognition)
- Promotional projects for ACQUISITION of new parks and preserves on Camano Island.

Projects and activities related to these three goals are designed to improve the recreational services for the visiting public and local residents and promote protection of the wildlife habitat on the Island. Some specific examples of FOCIP involvement and activities are listed below:

Membership Focused Activities

- Communication: promoting public interest by showing the properties to the public, local media notices, e-mail membership
- Quarterly newsletters
- Social Activities: Potluck dinners, Leading nature walks, Speakers, Work party lunch, Open Houses.

Stewardship

- Volunteer work parties 2 to 3 Tuesdays a month.
- General maintenance: leaf raking, litter pick up, construct benches, kiosks, painting; revegetation, trails, grounds weeded
- FOCIP Adopt a Park Program:
  - Members may sign up to monitor and do light maintenance on their own schedule for a specific trail and/or section of a park. They report major needs to FOCIP leadership. Click here for more information.
- Project examples:
  - Camano Island State Park: Refurbished amphitheater, signage, built new trails benches, boardwalks
  - Cama Beach State Park. New trails, platforms, signage
  - Utsalady Point Park: Landscaping, fence & bench
  - Elger Bay & Camano Ridge Preserves: Trail construction, signage, nature trail, platform
  - Iverson Spit: Scotch broom removal, trail expansion with bridges
  - Four Springs Lake Preserve: Trails, Old Barn Restoration, BWH gardens
  - Camano Center: Perimeter trail & plantings & bench, Legacy Garden
  - English Boom Historical Park: Trail & signage
  - Kristoferson Creek & Marsh: platforms, trails
  - All parks: FOCIP built & donated benches and kiosks

Education

- Organize & volunteer in two second grade beach & forest Nature Discovery Days (formally known as Education Days) each year.
- Provide Interpretive programs, year round; clamming education, park brochures.
- Education booths for community events.
- Research & fund development of historical displays in state and county parks
- Create and keep current natural world educational displays in FOCIP donated and/or maintained kiosks in Island County and State Parks.
- Sponsor Camano Backyard Wildlife Habitat program.
- Participate in Island County Road litter program.
- Work with Island County agencies for new educational displays.

Acquisition

- Sponsor & support land conservation projects
- Acquisitions: English Boom, Ivy-Dry Lake Road Trailhead, Four Springs Lake Preserve, Davis Slough Heronry, Iverson Spit Preserve, Kristoferson Creek Property, Henry Hollow Dog Park.

Community Involvement

FOCIP Camano Backyard Wildlife Habitat Project (BWH)
- Chamber activities
- Island County Adopt-a-Road litter pick-up
- Guided nature & winter walks
- Year-round BWH interpretive programs,
- Local Partnerships: Camano Chamber of Commerce, Native Plant Society, Whidbey Camano Land Trust, Sound Water Stewards, State and County Parks, Camano Center, Stanwood/Camano School District. Stanwood/Camano News & Stanwood Chamber, The Cama Beach Foundation