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 2004:  Informally started in 2004 with a private commission to produce “Gig Harbor’s Wildside: A natural history of Gig Harbor’s marine environment” reference book.   Katrina Mikitik & Corey Watson, local Evergreen State students senior project.

Informal interpretive beach programs are conducted at Jerisich Dock, WildBirds Unlimited’s Wildlife Fair.

Spring/Summer 2005:  A few informal beach programs are held.   Harbor WildWatch commissions Katrina and her brother, Alex, to design and write a full-color brochure on local wildlife in partnership with the city of GH.   The concept and production of four permanent signs that interpret the local ecosystems are also produced in partnership with the city of Gig Harbor.

Fall, 2005: Through the generosity and energy of the Gig Harbor Gallery Association and the foresight of the City of Gig Harbor’s marketing office, the SalmonChanted Harbor auction provides substantial funding for Harbor Wildwatch 2006 programs.

Summer, 2006:  Harbor WildWatch conducts 29 beach naturalist programs on local area beaches for the public.  Serving approximately 1900 residents and visitors.  Two new signs are designed and developed in partnership with Friends of Pierce County for the Crescent Creek area of City Park. 

Harbor WildWatch receives 501c3 status and applies for additional grant money from the Russell Family Foundation to expand its programs to develop a Jr. Naturalist program, more public signage, and further expansion of the 2007 beach program.

Winter, 2006/2007:  Harbor WildWatch receives grant money and private donations to further develop its programs of providing ecosystem education and interpretation.  The “seaStars” program was piloted with great success in summer 2007 for those kids with an extra “spark” for learning more about their environment.   Explore the Beach program was piloted to teach kids proper beach etiquette and added to a new school program called Harbor Outreach Program or HOP.  With the HOP program, Harbor WildWatch is addressing basic ecology in the classroom by bringing several workshops to the schools at no cost to the teacher or the school.

Spring/summer 2007:  Harbor WildWatch completed 35 scheduled beach programs, 2 pilot programs called “Explore the Beach” and “seaStars”, completes 3 new interpretive signs with a new wildlife artist in partnership with the City of Gig Harbor.

Summer/Fall 2008: Harbor WildWatch completed 62 Get Your Feet Wet programs at seven local beaches, educating 8,000 kids and parents, assisted by 19 seaStars and 9 sunStars (junior naturalist volunteers). Two new interpretive signs were erected at Kopachuck and Penrose State Parks, depicting good beach etiquette The HOP program expanded into 8 public schools, mentoring over 950 elementary children, and added 4 new interactive workshops to our cirriculum.

Winter/spring, 2008

Our annual meeting report indicated that HWW conducted  a combined total of 72 programs and reached a total of 6,243 participants for a summary of our 2007 activity.