Elise Cope

Meet + Mingle this Summer!

August 1, 2023

Enjoy complimentary refreshments and delight in the good company of fellow stewards of the islands with our staff and board. Meet our new Executive Director, Eva Schulte, and learn about ongoing research, education, restoration, and advocacy efforts to protect the San Juan Islands and the Salish Sea. Try swimming with salmon and eelgrass without getting wet with ... read more

Current Volunteer Opportunities

July 26, 2023

Are you yearning to get more involved? Do you love the islands and Salish Sea, and want to connect with like-minded folx? Are you interested in serving on a Board or committee such as fundraising or finance? There are many ways to get involved, and we would love your support! Volunteer Openings: Ready to Get Started?! ... read more

United Front Against Roberts Bank Terminal 2

June 20, 2023

For Immediate Release – June 14, 2023 Roberts Bank Terminal 2 opposition demands answers from governments on expansion: Environmentalists, communities, and unions stand together. VANCOUVER / UNCEDED xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh AND səlilwətaɬ TERRITORIES — Labour, community, and environmental groups have come together in a united front against the controversial Roberts Bank Terminal 2 (RBT2) expansion project, ... read more

Gathering of the Eagles Canoe Journey

May 4, 2023

Friends is honored to collect donations for this extraordinary inter-island tribal canoe journey, “Esqaplh etse Kwelengsen, Gathering of Eagles.” All are welcome at this grassroots journey following the ancestral highways of the Lhaq’temish, Lummi, people, beginning May 21 and running through May 26 in the Lhaq’temish homelands of Lopez, San Juan, Orcas and Lummi Islands. ... read more

Earth Day Message from Jay Julius, W’tot lhem

April 20, 2023

The following message is shared by Jay Julius, W’tot lhem. Jay is the former Chairman of the Lummi Nation, a full-time fisherman and father, and the Founder and President of Se’Si’Le.   The organization Se’Si’Le offers workshops, symposiums, forums, and direct-action campaigns that “bring people and organizations into a deeper and truer understanding of Indigenous ... read more

Welcoming three new board members!

February 24, 2023

Erin Licata, Fidalgo Island — Erin is a tribal community member of the Samish Indian Nation and serves as the Madrona Institute’s Co-Director of the Coast Salish Youth Stewardship Corps. Erin also brings a background in science research to the board. Jan Knudson, Blaine — Jan decided she wanted to join the Friends board after touring ... read more

Brown Island Restoration Update

December 14, 2022

We soaked up some fall sunshine during a follow-up visit to our restoration site on Brown Island near Friday Harbor. Huge thanks to participating private landowners, the Islands Conservation Corps (ICC) and Northwest Straits Foundation for their support of this work! Friends and the ICC removed unnatural rock that had surfaced since our initial 2015 armor removal and beach ... read more

This November, Amplify Indigenous Voices

November 17, 2022

It’s Native American Heritage Month, and here at Friends, we’re reflecting amongst ourselves and with our partners, exploring what it means to be good allies to Tribal Nations. Our work takes place on the homelands of the Lummi, Saanich, Klallam and Samish who have a deep history rooted here in their traditional fishing grounds—though many ... read more

End in sight for the Comp Plan Update!

November 17, 2022

In October 2022, we provided background on the Comprehensive Plan and the ongoing County Update process. You can still access that information here. This month, we’re providing an overview of the progress of the Comprehensive Plan update for San Juan County and sharing what we might expect in 2023. Attending public hearing in person is the ... read more

Course Correction Needed for Rapidly Changing Shorelines

November 17, 2022

The shorelines of the San Juan Islands are dynamic places where land and sea meet in a collision of geology, water, and natural forces. When left unchanged by humans, shorelines and the wide range of life they support are amazingly resilient. But what happens when we modify our shorelines to accommodate our desires to build ... read more

San Juan County is at the center of existing and proposed fossil fuel export projects. We have much to lose and nothing to gain. Our community needs to stay informed, get involved, and be part of the public process of understanding the approaching changes which will affect us all.

San Olson

member, Lopez Island