Friends of the San Juans

Contributed by Michel Vekved, Director of Philanthropy As a nonprofit, you know we rely upon the generosity of members like you who care and are engaged in our work to protect what you love. Since 1979, we’ve been working together tirelessly to protect and restore the San Juan Islands’ ecology and ecosystems. Our mission will ... read more

Contributed by Kaia Olson, grandaughter of Friends’ Board member, San Olson. As a young person, I can’t emphasize enough the significance of seeing older activists continue to advocate for environmental action. Your work truly embodies the proverb: “We don’t inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”  Growing up with both ... read more

We had productive and fun days at our Mud Bay restoration site on Sucia Island this month, learning with island youth and furthering ecological improvements to the site. Throughout 2020, restoration efforts at Mud Bay included the removal of nearly 300 feet of coastal road, the removal of rock armor and a culvert, as well ... read more

Check out the March issue of our e-newsletter – Highwater Marks! Learn about our latest victory against Phillips 66; the spring Great Islands Clean-Up; the herring spawn event happening now; a community conversation on housing, vacation rentals, and land use; our new staff; an update on the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project; and more!

Friends of the San Juans recently scored a decisive legal victory against fossil-fuel giant Phillips 66, representing an important win for critically endangered Southern Resident killer whales. On February 28th, the Washington State Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Friends in a lawsuit regarding Phillips 66’s expansion of its Ferndale, WA, refinery. In 2019 ... read more

Check out the February issue of our e-newsletter – Highwater Marks! Learn about San Juan County’s decision to Fast-Track the Comp Plan Update process, Meet our New Legal Director, Celebrate 20 Years of Tina’s Dedication to Friends, Volunteer Opportunity to Monitor for Invasive Green Crabs, and More!

I recently read an article from a Canadian news organization titled “The Future of Exploration.” In it, author Kate Harris examines how traditional exploration’s complicated past makes it difficult to reconcile with modern values of justice and sustainability. From Marco Polo to Lewis and Clark, most famous expeditions have been glorified in western culture while ... read more

Check out the January issue of our e-newsletter – Highwater Marks! You can read the results of our 10 year Armor Change Study, Catch up on Environmental Legislative Priorities, and much more!

By Madeline Feaster and Tina Whitman As you know, Friends of the San Juans protects and restores natural shorelines to support forage fish, salmon, and the Southern Resident orca. In addition, Friends also conducts research on these shoreline habitats. We recently completed a Shoreline Armor Mapping, Change Analysis, and Regulatory Review project that provides an ... read more

Check out the December issue of our e-newsletter – Highwater Marks! We share our highlights from 2021, discuss Trust, Truth, and Gratitude, show photos from our Immersive Salish Sea Education with Lopez and Orcas students and our restoration planting at Salmon Point with the Island Conservation Corps, and much more! Read it here. Photo by ... read more