The Bainbridge Island Environmental Conference (BIEC) inspires participants to become educated and take individual and collective action around environmental issues vital for Bainbridge Island.
The conference is an annual collaborative effort of multiple community organizations. BIEC brings local experts across a range of topics addressing the environment and sustainability into conversation with community members to increase learning and knowledge sharing across the community, energizing and encouraging action(s) to take as a follow up to conference participation. Additionally, BIEC aims to provide new perspectives and solutions to environmental issues facing the Puget Sound region.
The 2025 Environmental Conference will be focused on community science and and preparing for the 2025 City Nature Challenge which is coming up at the end of April.
We’re calling it Nature Counts!
Connect with organizations dedicated to conservation, education and stewardship, and learn tools, techniques and scientific methods that will support your involvement with community science projects happening in your area such as FrogWatch USA, Ebird, Project Budburst, European Green Crab Monitoring, Stream Stewards & more!
The conference will include an overview of community science, including many local efforts to quantify the biodiversity and natural systems of our own Island; the inspiring Environmentalist of the Year award will be presented; and there will be an opportunity to head out on IslandWood’s trails and work with naturalists to learn about how to participate in the City Nature Challenge to document local biodiversity.
We are thrilled to welcome these organizations to lead activities, interpretation and guided walks with you and your family! Special thanks to these organizations for your support in providing speakers, interpretive displays, guided walks, event support & more. We couldn’t do it without you!
IslandWood welcomes you to the Reptiles & Amphibians Team
Bainbridge Island Land Trust & Weed Warriors welcomes you to the Plants Team
Kitsap Peninsula Mycological Society welcomes you to Team Fungus Among Us
WSU Extension welcomes you to Insects & Stream Bugs Team
Bainbridge Island Beach Naturalists welcomes you to learn about Marine Biology
Kitsap Audubon welcomes you the Birding Team
Woodland Park Zoo Amphibian Monitoring welcomes you to the Amphibians Team
Bloedel Reserve welcomes you to the Plants Team
INaturalist support provided by BI Parks & Trails Foundation, Sustainable Bainbridge, EcoAdapt and the Bainbridge Island Land Trust. The INaturalist platform is the premiere platform for the City Nature Challenge 2025, is free and easy to use, and Kitsap County wants to win the CNC this year – we hope you join us in learning this easy app, and we can support you on-site with ease-of-use, uploading observations, best practices for identifications and more.
Our Steering Committee
The Bainbridge Island Environmental Conference is a joint project of Sustainable Bainbridge, EcoAdapt, the Bainbridge Island Land Trust, IslandWood, and the Bainbridge Parks & Trails Foundation. This group sets the annual theme and shares the responsibilities of planning and coordinating the conference. We welcome your ideas for topics for future environmental conferences. Please contact us if you have ideas or suggestions!
