Loving this place is not enough.
We must protect it, too.
We’ve always been in this together.
What began in 1979 as a local effort to protect the San Juan Islands now strengthens the health and vitality of the entire Salish Sea bioregion, defending the waters, wildlife, and communities that connect us all.
For nearly 50 years
we’ve brought people and nature together to protect this special place through…
Advocacy & Policy
Science, Mapping, & Restoration
Community Mobilization & Legal Action
Immersive Communitty Education & Science
Join Friends for community-centered action.
Whether you live in the San Juan Islands, visit often, or help care for the Salish Sea from afar, your actions make a difference. Together, we can protect what makes this place extraordinary—shorelines, wildlife, and community.
The San Juan Islands support an intricate ecological connection between land and sea.
What’s new in protecting nature?
Rooted in collective impact.
For almost half a century, Friends has shaped the future of the San Juan Islands and the Salish Sea through bold action, science, and community advocacy.
1 in 3 San Juan County residents engaged and invested in Friends’ work, advancing community-led science, education, policy, and law across the islands.
$10 MILLION in restoration funding leveraged for island communities, creating jobs, advancing science, and strengthening long-term ecological health.
THOUSANDS of people are activated each year through action alerts, driving stronger local and regional protections, and shared accountability for the health of people and place.
500 youth each year, gaining science skills and communications tools to protect the future health of island communities and waters.
Our story of protection and hope …