latest news

Volunteer Spotlight: Elyse Woodruff

September 24, 2025

Friends is honored to have Elyse Woodruff join the Friends team as a new member of our Legal Review Committee! Elyse was first introduced to Friends through one of our European Green Crab community science trainings on Orcas Island this summer. Inspired by the presentation, she invited Friends to bring the program to her neighbors ... read more

Friends of the San Juans Restores Critical Shoreline Habitat at Neck Point, Shaw Island

August 29, 2025

 Friends of the San Juans (Friends) has successfully restored another ecologically important beach in San Juan County. Neck Point, the westernmost point of Shaw Island, is treasured by islanders and marine life alike, and it has now been designated as a vital spawning habitat for forage fish, a cornerstone species in the Salish Sea food ... read more

A Super Volunteer Story: Meet Tony Imkamp

August 29, 2025

Every summer, the San Juan County Fair brings people together to celebrate the community, farms and agriculture, and island spirit that make this place so unique. For Friends of the San Juans, it’s also an opportunity to connect with supporters and share how each of us can contribute to protecting the San Juan Islands and ... read more

Local Leaders Convene for Shoreline Resiliency 

August 29, 2025

Regional Land Managers Join Friends of the San Juans for Shoreline Restoration Tour  On July 31, Friends hosted 20 land managers for a shoreline restoration boat tour around San Juan County. The tour highlighted successful restoration projects that reconnect wetlands, enhance beach spawning habitats for forage fish, and safeguard shorelines against the impacts of sea ... read more

Uncovering Nearly 50 Years of Advocacy

August 29, 2025

Lori Momchilovich Reflects on Archiving Friends’ Legal and Environmental Advocacy Last spring, Friends welcomed Lori Momchilovich as our Document Archivist, a role focused on organizing and digitizing decades of paper records. With 15 years of experience in public and private libraries, and a background in education, Lori brought both skill and passion to the monumental ... read more

Community priorities for the San Juan County Comprehensive Plan

August 29, 2025

Your input matters! The Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) may sound technical, but it’s really about daily life in the islands. When you comment, you’re helping shape how our community grows while protecting your priorities and the places we all love and depend on. Did you know? Friends of the San Juans helped launch San Juan County’s ... read more

Honoring Veterans Who Protect the Salish Sea

August 29, 2025

This month, Friends is honored to highlight four inspiring veterans whose time on the water, both in the military and since, has deeply shaped their commitment to protecting the Salish Sea.   These leaders each play a vital role in advancing Friends’ work to Protect this Place. Ken Putney, Friends’ Data & Gifts Administrator, Joe ... read more

Introducing Kirsten Kane, Friends’ New Salish Sea Strategy and Engagement Manager

August 29, 2025

Friends of the San Juans is excited to welcome and introduce Kirsten Kane (she/her/hers) as our new Salish Sea Strategy and Engagement Manager. Kirsten joins Friends with extensive experience in ocean ecology and marine policy. Kirsten will help build and support our coalition efforts, work with the press, and enhance community engagement to protect the ... read more

Spirit of Water Event with Chenoa Egawa 

August 29, 2025

Join Friends of the San Juans for a powerful and moving evening of Indigenous song, ceremony, and teachings with Coast Salish artist, singer, storyteller, author, and environmental protector Chenoa Egawa. Gather in honor of Indigenous Peoples Day and Orca Recovery Month, and for the full experience, begin with a special Seafood Feast before the main ... read more

Protect San Juan Shorelines from Invasive European Green Crab

August 8, 2025

The European Green Crab is one of the most damaging marine invaders in the Pacific Northwest, and it’s knocking at the door of our island ecosystems. Once established, these aggressive predators threaten eelgrass beds, disrupt food webs, and damage critical habitat for salmon, Dungeness crab, and countless other species. We have a narrow window to ... read more

I look at the Friends of the San Juans as sort of like a guard dog. They are the first ones to bark if there is any danger to anything that needs protection. They are the ones that make the first sounds that say “Wake Up!”

Shaun Hubbard

member, San Juan Island and Seattle