Friends of the San Juans

Huge thanks to the 662 people submitted comments through our Action Alert to push back on Whatcom County’s decision to issue a Mitigated Determination of Non-Significance (MDNS) for 33 projects at the Cherry Point Ferndale Terminal — including 31 projects that were built without permits. Instead of requiring a long-promised Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), the ... read more

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 (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

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

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

By Annika Weber, Friends of the San Juans Summer Intern  Hello! My name is Annika. I’m from Seattle, and this summer I’m working with Friends’ Marine Protection and Policy Director, Lovel Pratt, on Salish Sea protection. I’m also helping with summer events and learning how to write grants. I’m a history major, so Lovel suggested ... read more

Friends of the San Juans is excited to welcome and introduce Magali Cota as our new Legal Director and Staff Attorney. Magali is an environmental law attorney who has worked closely with communities to protect their natural spaces, informing them of their rights within an evolving legal system and holding corporations and government agencies accountable.    ... read more

Friends’ Past, Present, and Future  As we welcome a new chapter at Friends of the San Juans, we extend our deepest gratitude to Ken Carrasco for his leadership and dedication as Board President. His passion and commitment have strengthened our work protecting the San Juan Islands and the Salish Sea. Now, we’re thrilled to introduce ... read more

We’re honoring Bruce Rylander for his years of dedicated service as Treasurer of Friends’ Board. His leadership helped strengthen our organization and our work to protect the San Juans. At Friends of the San Juans, protecting this place requires not only passion and advocacy but also strong leadership behind the scenes. Bruce Rylander played a ... read more